


Enemies and Family

by Rioghna



Series: Enemies and... [2]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Family Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Multi, Romance, Rumbelle - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-18
Updated: 2016-08-04
Packaged: 2018-04-09 23:39:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 27
Words: 37,436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4368761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rioghna/pseuds/Rioghna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Curse is broken, Rumplestiltskin and Belle are together, and magic is back in this world.  Now, as everyone tries to pick up the pieces, Rumple and Belle navigate their new relationship, while working on a way to find his son.  </p><p>The sequel to 'Enemies and Friends', picks up directly after the Epilogue of the last story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Starting Again

Enemies and Family

 

David Nolan paced impatiently outside the pawn shop, trying to think about what they were going to do with Regina, and not think about what he had just seen. Of all the things he expected when he had rushed to the shop as the realisation of who and what Gold was came to him, none had involved finding the man in what was clearly a loving and passionate embrace with a beautiful, but unfamiliar young woman. He'd had just enough brains not to say any of the first things that came to mind, most of which would have, in all likelihood, ended with him slithering home to his wife and new found daughter. It most certainly would not stop the growing mob and what they wanted to do with Regina.

Fortunately further thoughts in that direction were derailed when the man himself emerged from the shop. "Well, this had best be important, Dearie. As you can see, much like the rest of this town, I have some catching up to do," he said. Looking at him, David could clearly see the imp behind the man. Oh, the skin was different, the voice not quite the same singsong, and the wardrobe was much more sedate, but it was most definitely the most feared sorcerer in the land, the man who had been both a help and a hinderance to him at various points. It was also the man he had been responsible for imprisoning, so perhaps this was not one of his better ideas. "Tick Tock," Rumplestiltskin said, looking at his watch.

"You...Rumplestiltskin, who is that?" the Prince asked. He probably shouldn't have, but it was the first thing that came to mind.

"How quickly they forget. That, dearie, is my light in an ocean of darkness," the man said with a smile that probably should be even more disturbing. Certainly he would never have thought the imp capable of those tender feelings.

"I thought you said she was dead." This was not the conversation they needed to be having, but Charming couldn't seem to help himself.

Rumplestiltskin sighed, explanations were not his stock in trade. "I was lied to. She was taken away and hidden from me. But now I have her back, and the last thirty years to make up for, so whatever it is you want, I suggest you _get on with it_."

That was more than enough to shock the prince back into focus. Meddling in the affairs (that thought made him shudder actually), of Rumplestiltskin had never been a good idea. Where love was concerned, it was probably somewhat less. "I need your help. There is a mob forming, Whale is at the head of it. They are going after Regina," he told the sorcerer urgently, back to focusing on the important things.

"Ah, I wish them the best then. I've never been much of a joiner, especially in the torch and pitchfork set, so often it has been coming in my direction. But I will offer you a very good price on a lighter. Actually I will even donate it to the cause. Now, if that's all, you will excuse me, but..."

"You need to help me stop them," David said urgently.

"Why in all the realms, would I want to do **that**?" the imp asked incredulously.

"Because...You have worked together in the past, right? She was your ally, wasn't she? I mean..." David started, confused. When he had gotten the idea to recruit Mr. Gold, er, Rumplestiltskin, it had seemed pretty simple. After all, it wasn't as if there was another magic user in town, and well, at the moment, the old sorcerer seemed a good option for an ally, after all, he had been caught in the curse as well, so he might not be happy with Regina, but they had been on the same side more than once. It had been a good idea at the time, or so he thought.

"Ah, I see where the confusion lies," he said, looking as if he was explaining things to a particularly dim child. "Perhaps I should mention, before you go any further, that Regina was the one that was responsible for the loss of my lady. She was the one that took my love from me and kept her locked away in a dungeon. She was also the one that told me she was dead. You should understand what that is like.  So you see, I really don't think I am the person you want. Try the sheriff, it is her job after all. If that is all?" The door opened in the midst of his words and the beautiful woman slipped out, putting a gentle hand on the man's arm.

"Rumple..." she said as she looked at him gently.

"Belle, really, this is too much. I promised you that I would not harm her, that doesn't mean..."

"There are two reasons that you should do this. You know I am no fan of Regina's, but I am less comfortable with mob justice. She should answer for her actions, but this isn't the way, as you well know," she told him, ignoring the other man's presence. David was perfectly all right with that. Those blue eyes turned towards one of the most feared beings in all the realms, full of love and trust, was too much. One of the last things he really wanted was to be a witness to this or any other discussion between the imp and his lady. It was too strange for him. Not to mention the potential danger that knowing more than Rumplestiltskin wanted him to know put him in.

"And the second?" Rumplestiltskin asked.

"She will owe you her life? What could possibly..."

"Very well, I'll do it," he said, turning towards the Prince, an unpleasant smile blooming on his face. Yep, that was the Rumplestiltskin he knew and mistrusted. That the creature would willingly do it for the woman who even now was standing next to him with a hand on his arm frightened him more than he wanted to admit and he made a mental note to stay on her good side. "But quickly, Shepherd. When we are done, I expect to be left alone. I have plans with my lady."


	2. The Calm...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rumplestiltskin and Belle return from the Cabin.

A week at the cabin had passed quickly, far too quickly for Rumplestilskin and for Belle. Unfortunately they had to get back to the world, no matter how much they would prefer otherwise. Besides, now that he had Belle, it was time for the other half of his happy ending, finding his son. 

They had left immediately after helping Prince Charming save Regina. It was one of the last things he wanted to do, but if Belle wished it, there was little he wouldn't do. Still he had been determined to get things sorted as fast as possible. They had caught up with both the Evil Queen and her angry mob at the Mayor's office. 

As the Prince had said, Frankenstein was in the lead, but a good half of the town was behind him. It was interesting to note that none of Regina's former guardsmen had returned to their positions with their mistress. Charming charged in, ever the hero, while the sorcerer followed at a leisurely pace, with Belle. He had tried to get her to stay behind but his beloved wasn't inclined, to let him go alone. Actually, they were both reluctant to be parted from one another, regardless of reason. 

They entered the Mayor's office behind the mob, in time to see Regina's arrogance assert itself again. The imp shook his head as he felt her reach for her magic. "I think not," Rumplestiltskin had said, pitching his voice to be heard. There were murmurs in the crowd, some turning as if to go after the new threat, others looking as if they wanted to be somewhere, anywhere, else. Still a third handful, the smarter ones, noticed that the Dark One had entered at the side of the Prince and wanted to reserve judgement. 

"The Dark One, he's with her," someone said, but no one moved against him. Uncertainty reigned. 

"Rumplestiltskin, come to gloat?" Regina snarled. 

"Not really my style," he said. "Actually my first thought was to loan them a lighter for the pyre. Fortunately for you, I was convinced otherwise."

"Don't interfere, Rumplestiltskin, this is nothing to do with you," the Doctor said, though he didn't look as confident as he was trying to appear. 

"Nothing to do with me? There you are wrong. I am here, am I not? Like the rest of you, I have lost that which is most dear to me. However, as much as I might personally wish to see her Majesty tarred and feathered, or whatever it is that you had in mind for her, I have given my word."

"We haven't," Frankenstein had replied, turning back towards Regina. The Evil Queen raised her hands, but before she could do anything, Rumplestiltskin gestured and her hands were bound behind her back. 

"Uhn uhn uhn," The sorcerer had waggling a finger at her, a bit of his manic giggle coming to the fore. "Now, I do think the sheriff should deal with Regina, it is her job."

"Why..."

"Let me put in another way then," Rumplestiltskin had said, almost politely. His patience had come to an end and he'd been anxious to get on with his plans. "Anyone here who does not want their rent doubled and their leases up for review, might want to see to their own businesses. After all, I would hate to have to notice your neglect." Suddenly, most of the mob remembered important business they had to attend to somewhere else, leaving only the principle players. After a moment, Frankenstein too decided that he wasn't that willing to take on the imp and made himself scarce. 

"Well, now what are you planning, imp?" Regina had asked, looking darkly at him.

"I? Nothing. I keep my word. Your life belongs entirely to Belle. You live or die on her word. At the moment, it is her desire that you live. Should she change her mind..." The shrug was eloquent. Belle had come from behind and slipped her hand into his. "She seeks to reform me," he told them with a small smile. 

"You are a good man," Belle had told him. The look she gave him was enough to make the others look somewhere else. 

"Ugh, I think I was better off with the mob. They were less..."

At her disgust, the imp had smiled and turned his beloved in his arms for a slow, sweet kiss. "Definitely the best revenge," he'd whispered to her, taking in Regina's vaguely green tinge. "Now, Charming, I believe I have kept my word. You will keep yours, you will leave us alone." He had left, taking Belle with him. 

The week had passed extremely quickly. He and Belle had retreated to the fully stocked cabin. Dove, his memory returned, was probably less affected by the break of the curse than anyone else. Before, he had worked for Rumplestiltskin, run errands, tended to his or before her 'death', her, needs. As soon as the curse broke, he'd returned Sidney Glass to town and waited until Rumplestiltskin had called with orders. 

Rumplestiltskin and Belle had spent the week alternating between making love and talking, before making love again. Everything had come out, all the pain, all the shame of the things he had done in his long life, giving her the honesty he had long ago promised if only he got her back. As the dark sorcerer told her each story, he kept expecting that it would be the last thing, the straw that would break the camel's back and have her running from him in disgust. Instead, she had held him, run her fingers through his hair and then dragged him to the bedroom (the settee, the hearth rug, and that one rather memorable occasion, the swing on the cabin's back porch, his lady was curious and rather inventive). But those were things he probably shouldn't have been thinking about, at least not while he was driving. 

Rumplestiltskin reached out and took her hand. Food, fresh air, and long walks in the woods had done wonders to brighten her prison pallor and to his mind, she had never been so beautiful, or at least not outside....well, once again things that should not be thought about while driving. 

Storybrooke didn't look any different, as they drove through downtown, headed back towards the house that he now thought might become a home. Archie Hopper was walking Pongo down Main, Granny's Diner was open with the usual stream of people coming and going. The yellow Volkswagen was parked in front of the Sheriff's office and several people stopped to watch the Cadillac pass.

"I suppose you have to open the shop tomorrow," Belle said. 

"Well..."

"No, I know we have to start getting back to normal, or whatever normal is. I just...I suppose I'm reluctant to be apart."

"Perhaps...you could come into the shop with me tomorrow? At least for a little while," he asked. Rumplestiltskin didn't want to admit it, but he was just as reluctant for them to be parted. 

 

From the inside of a small shop on Main Street, two pairs of eyes watched the sleek, black car drive past. 

"I can't believe this, it must be some kind of magic," Moe French grumbled to Gaston, the young man who, as Greg, had been serving as shop assistant for the past twenty eight years. "She just cannot be willingly staying with him. Belle is a good girl, but she has always been far too trusting. Who knows what that beast has done to her?" He paced the small shop agitatedly. "The deal that we made, that she made with him, against my will and my judgement, you know that, it's null and void. It has to be."

"It's okay. She'll be back with us soon enough. I'll make sure of it. He can't watch her all the time. As soon as she is alone, I'll get her back. She just needs to know that things are going to be okay. I'll even still marry her."

"You're a good lad, Gaston. I jut hope it's that easy."

"It will be. Besides, I owe that imp."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to those who followed the original story and are still keeping up with the story line. I hope you enjoy it.


	3. Deals to be made

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rumplestiltskin and Belle return to start their lives in Storybrooke. It's not as easy as they thought it would be.

After a last adjustment of his tie, Rumplestiltskin prepared to go to open the pawn shop for the first time since the curse was broken. Belle had been startled at the pile of packages from her online shopping that had been waiting neatly in the house when they returned. Dove had fetched the last of them from the shop while they were gone as a part of his duties. But once she had opened, sorted, and modeled them (the last causing the process to take longer than it should have, but they did have a lot of time to make up for), was fairly well kitted out. She was wearing a lovely dress of dark blue with tights in deference to the cold, a proper coat, and even shoes, though she would need more, of that he was certain.

"How do I look?" she asked, doing a little turn in front of him. 

"Beautiful, love," he told her, taking her in his arms for just a moment, before releasing her. Otherwise they were never going to make it anywhere, or anywhere outside of the house anyway. "Are you certain you want to come with me?" he asked. Part of him, the jealous, possessive part that belonged more to the imp than the man, wanted to keep her locked away at the house, safe and his alone. The man knew it was wrong. Besides, just the thought of being without her for so long at the moment was more than he could cope with. Since the curse had broken, they had hardly spent a moment parted and the sorcerer still didn't trust...well, just about everyone. 

"Of course, I do. Oh, maybe not forever, or always, but for now...I am just not ready," she said with a becoming blush. 

"As my lady wishes," he said, offering her his arm. She was carrying a bag as well, Ruby's 'personal shopper fee'. Rumplestiltskin had promised to start their exploration of this new world in general and Storybrooke in particular, with luncheon at Granny's, and allow her to take those things to the wolf girl. Soon enough they were in the large black Cadillac, heading for downtown Storybrooke. 

They pulled up in the reserved parking spot by the pawnshop (it had no sign, but no one in town was stupid enough to park there, no matter how far the walk), and emerged. 

"Mr...er... Rumplestiltskin," Archie Hopper, otherwise known as Jiminy Cricket, addressed them politely as he was walking Pongo on his usual route. The psychologist had not been part of the angry mob, of course not, but there was no doubt that he'd heard about what had happened. "How are you?" he asked cautiously. Pongo, who had never had a fear of the sorcerer, came up to get a scratch and take a sniff at Belle, who he clearly approved of. 

"I am fine, Doctor Hopper, or would you prefer Jiminy?" the old sorcerer asked. Belle touched his arm. "Let me introduce my lady, Belle. This is..." he started. The sooner everyone knew exactly who she was, the safer she was. 

"Archie's fine. I think we are all going to be figuring that out for a while. But I never liked my name that much and well..." he sputtered off.

"Quite. Belle, Doctor Hopper is the one who gave us those books to try and help with your memory." 

"It's a pleasure, Doctor Hopper. What kind of doctor are you?" she inquired politely, scratching the happy dalmatian.

"That's a little... that is...I'm a psychologist, at least, I think I am. It's a little difficult to..."

"Your cursed memories are real, more or less," Rumplestiltskin told him. "The curse built your new identity around your existing personality and skills, and then filled in the remains, well some of them." 

"That makes sense. It wouldn't have worked for me to have been, oh, a mechanic or something like that. I'm too clumsy and would have probably got something..."

"RUMPLESTILTSKIN." The shout caused them all to turn. King George, otherwise known as Albert Spencer, county prosecutor, addressed the pawnbroker aggressively. The sorcerer immediately stepped between the angry former king and Belle.

"I'm just..." Archie gestured down the street, tugging the lead. He didn't think of it as cowardice. After all, Rumplestiltskin could take care of himself and his lady. It was more in the nature of taking himself out of the Dark One's business.

"Spencer," Rumplestiltskin addressed him coldly. "Or should I call you George? Though no longer a king."

"I need to talk to you, Imp," the man growled. "Now...you..."

"I, what?" he asked, looking the man in the eye. "I am busy. In case you haven't noticed, the shop is not yet opened and will not for another..." He made an exaggerated show of checking his pocket watch. "Twenty minutes. If you need to speak to me, I would suggest you come back then, or call and make an appointment."

"But you can't just..." George sputtered. He was a king, he didn't take orders, he gave them. 

"Twenty minutes. Any time that you hold me up will delay my opening that much longer. After all, these things take time, dearie," Rumplestiltskin said, his voice hardening. "Now, if you will excuse me," he said, putting one are around Belle to escort her. 

"But I..."

"Twenty-two minutes. Don't try to waylay me again."

 

Around the back of the shop, they went, Belle preceding her love just a bit, guided by his hand at her back. King George had gone. Belle remembered him a little from the old world, though he'd never had anything to do with Avonlea that she could think of. He'd gone off, clearly deciding that irritating her love more was not going to get him anything he wanted. They were just about to open the back door when they heard something moving, rattling the dustbins. 

"Come out, come out, dearie," Rumplestilskin said, irritated by the latest interruption. "If you were hoping for an ambush..." There was a crash and they saw a pair of blue jeans, with legs in them. 

"Rumplestiltskin, help me," a voice said urgently from beyond the legs. The sorcerer moved closer, motioning Belle to stay. August Booth, Pinnochio, was laying where he'd apparently fallen behind the bins.

"Well, Mr. Booth, it appears that you are in a bit of a predicament," he said, looking down at the now fully half wooden man.

"That is the man who let me out," Belle said. Of course she hadn't stayed put, but at least she was staying behind him. 

"Yes, he did love. He wanted a favour. More specifically, Pinocchio wanted to put pressure on me to help him break the curse and save his...skin," Rumplestiltskin said with a hint of a sneer. "It appears that it hasn't had the desired effect."

"It's accelerating, besides being visible now that everyone believes again."

"Then you should remember what I told you at the time. Now that the curse is broken, I've done my part. You are more than welcome to go back to the Blue Fairy and ask the self righteous little bug to fix you, or...."

"I don't think she would, or could do it," the wooden man said. 

"True," the imp inside the pawnbroker said. "You have to learn your lesson, Pinocchio. You have to be a good boy, honest and true." The high pitched (and surprisingly accurate) imitation of the chief of the fairies was filled with derision. "But you know what I said before. All magic has a price, and this is not a little magic. I seriously doubt that you have something worth that kind of working. So if you will excuse me," he said starting to turn. 

"Wait Rumplestiltskin. I do have something."

"What could you possibly have that would interest me?"

"Bae. I know where Bae is."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the support for this story. I am glad that people are still interested in this story line. Please, read, and review and all those wonderful things.


	4. A Blast from the Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An old 'friend' tries to talk to Belle.

"Talk," Ruimplestiltskin said, as soon as he'd hauled the wooden man to his feet and practically dragged him into the back room of the shop. 

"Rumplestiltskin," Belle said, laying a calming hand on his arm. 

"Deal," August croaked.

"Very well," the sorcerer said carefully. "I am almost certain I know exactly what it is that you want, you want to be a real boy," he said, just a little of his old sneer colouring his voice. 

"And you want to find your son," Booth said, as evenly as he could. "So, do we have a deal?"

"Patience. When two people each have something the other one wants, a deal can always be struck, so...let us begin." 

"Perhaps it would be best if I leave the two of you to deal. I can go across to the diner for some tea," Belle said. This was Rumplestiltskin's business and as much as she wanted to help him find his son, she was certain that she was not necessary for the proceedings. "I need to tell Ruby about her things anyway."

"Are you certain, sweetheart?" Rumplestiltskin asked. It was a conflict. He disliked having Belle out of his sight, but he had always preferred to have his dealings private.

"I'm fine, Rumple. I'm just going across the street," Belle told him. She smiled and placing a gentle kiss on his cheek, slipped out the door. 

"Now, Mr. Booth, let us deal," he said.

 

Belle French hurried across the street with a smile on her face. Rumple would find out where his son was and then they would go and find him. Oh, as optimistic as she was, she knew it wasn't going to be as easy as it sounded. Rumplestiltskin still had to find out if they could get out of town. He wasn't certain they would be able to, something to do with the curse. Tonight they planned to go to the edge of town so that he could do some tests. Then there would be the reunion. It would be difficult, but she had faith in Rumple, and what he was willing to do to reconcile with his son. So lost was she in those thoughts, that Belle didn't even see Gaston until he stepped right out in front of her. 

"Belle," he said, his voice loud as always. "Where are you going? To the shop to see your father?" Belle looked up (and up, really he was uncomfortably too tall for her, unlike Rumple) and tried to smile. 

"Oh, hello Gaston. I didn't realise you were in town," she said, trying to smile. Belle had never hated Gaston. Honestly, she'd never cared about him enough to hate him. He was boorish, brainless, egotistical, self-centered, and had no interest in anything more intellectually challenging than killing small furry animals. When her father had announced her engagement to him, she was appalled. Belle believed that love was layered, that you needed to peel back the layers to learn about the person. Unfortunately she found with Gaston, peeling back one layer revealed another, exactly the same underneath. "I was just going to the diner to..."

"Oh, let me go with you. You can have breakfast with me before we go to your father's shop. While we are at it, we can talk about our engagement."

"Our...what?" Belle sputtered. 

"Come on, Belle, we're in a new world. Your deal with the imp doesn't mean anything here. Come with me and I'll protect you from him. I'm even still willing to marry you. It'll be great, me, you, your father, and maybe a dozen kids, when the time comes." Belle opened her mouth and then closed it, before opening it again. There were still no words coming out. "Come on, Belle." He reached out for her arm. That broke her out of her trance. 

"I'm not going anywhere with you," Belle said, pulling away. "I'm going to go inside and get some tea, and then I'm going to return to Rumplestiltskin. He's waiting for me."

"But Belle, you don't have to go back to him. You are free now. Free to come home to your father and me. We're your family."

"He is my True Love, and he is still the Dark One, and the only person I am going home with is him, or more specifically..."

"You don't mean that, Belle. You can't possibly love him, that's just a spell. You've always had your head in the clouds, you don't know what's good for you. It's okay, you're a woman, you don't know any better. Now, you will do what I say. I'm taking you to your father and if that beast so much as thinks about trying to get you back, I'll..." Gaston reached out and grabbed her arm, tugging. 

"Hey, what's the big idea, asshole?" Ruby snarled, coming out the door of the diner, hands on hips. 

"This is none of your business, Ruby, it's a family matter between me and my fiancee." The wolf girl looked at him, blinked once, and then laughed. "What are you laughing at?"

"You," the redhead said. "First, Belle is my friend, so if you don't let go of her right now, I'm going to forget myself and bite that hand off as a start. Second, if she's going with anyone, that's her decision, not yours, so I would step off." 

"You wouldn't," he sneered. "Don't you..." 

"As I was saying, that would be before I called a certain imp. I wonder, now that magic is back, if it works just like it did back in the Enchanted Forest. Want to find out? Rum...."

"I'm not afraid of him," Gaston interrupted, but he'd let go of Belle's arm and gone a little pale. "Come on, Belle."

"Just go, Gaston. I'm not going anywhere with you, not now, not ever. If you leave now, I won't mention it," she said, turning to walk with Ruby into the diner. The wolf girl glared back towards him.

"Are you okay, Belle?" she asked, once they were inside. A few people in the diner looked at them, but Ruby glared at them as she walked her friend to the counter. "You want me to call..." she nodded in the direction of the shop. 

"Oh no, Ruby, don't. It's nothing. Gaston didn't mean anything. He's not exactly a brain. He won't do it again. Besides, Rumple is busy right now with something that is really important. It's not worth bothering him with. Please?"

"I don't know, Belle...." Ruby said uneasily. Not only did she not trust Gaston, who she knew from the curse days as a braggart and a bully, part of the circle that hung out around town with Keith Nottingham, drinking and carousing at the Rabbit Hole. Then there was Mr. Gold, Rumplestiltskin. It wasn't a good idea to get involved in his business, and keeping a secret involving his lady's safety didn't sound like a way to keep her transformations to those she was born with. 

"It's not really a problem," Belle told her. "Please?"

"All right, I won't tell him, but you have to, okay?" 

"I will, thank you. It's just...right now he's in the middle of a project. Now, can you get a couple of cups of tea, to go?"

She stayed a few minutes, talking to Ruby and hoping that Gaston would leave and Rumple would finish his deal soon. Then she started back to the shop, hoping that he had gotten everything he wanted from his deal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading. All the comments have really helped this story getting started. It's going to be a bit of a right. Please remember to leave your comments in the little box. Thank you, very much.


	5. Deals and No Deal

"Now, Mr. Booth," Rumplestiltskin said, turning to the man the moment that Belle had left the shop. "I believe that what you ask is possible. It might take some time, though. I need to study the make up of the magic, both that which was used to make you and that which is currently unmaking you. Be warned, it is not a simple thing."

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm kind of running out of time," the younger man reminded him bitterly. 

"Well, fortunately for you, what I can do right now, is give you a little time."

"And what do you want for that?" Booth asked suspiciously, trying to get comfortable where he was propped against the work table. 

"First," Rumplestiltskin said as he leaned closer. "I will need something to examine." He moved quickly, and plucked a hair from the wooden man's head. He turned, rummaged in a cabinet and pulled out what looked like an oddly shaped test tube and dropped the hair into it. "This will do." The sorcerer examined it carefully, though what he saw, the other man had no clue. "And secondly, you will tell me where my son is."

"Why would I tell you anything until after you fix me?" August asked. 

"Are you suggesting that I would go back on my word?" the imp asked him coldly. That was the voice of danger. Even if he no longer looked the part, still, he was a dangerous man. 

"Noooo," Booth said slowly. He knew his next words needed to be chosen very carefully. "I am saying that we don't have a deal yet. Once we have a deal, I will give you the state. The rest, the address and the name he's been using, you get when you have fixed me." He could see the Dark One thinking.

A moment later, he nodded. "Very well," Gold said. With a flourish, a contract appeared. It was considerably shorter than his usual, but the terms were simple and very clear. Booth read it carefully, twice, just to be certain. It took only a few moments, and then he was affixing his signature to the bottom slowly. 

"Excellent, we have a deal then," Rumplestiltskin said with a smile, banishing the contract to wherever it was that those things went. "Now, don't go anywhere," he said with what could have almost been his old impish grin. 

Booth just looked at him. He barely managed not to tell him that, no, he was late for the meeting of the Storybrooke road racers. It probably wouldn't be a good idea.

Moments later, Rumplestiltskin returned with something in his hand, a band, like a watch band or a leather bracelet. "This will not reverse what is happening to you, not completely. But it will mitigate the effects somewhat. It should keep you from...stiffening more than you already have," he said, holding it out. Booth reached for it, but he pulled it just out of reach. "Nyah, nyah." Rumplestiltskin said waving a finger at him.

"New York, he's in New York City." 

A few moments later, August Booth left the shop by the back door. Rumplestiltskin made his way to the front and turned the sign. He wasn't particularly interested in opening today, but there were probably a few interesting and juicy deals waiting out there. Besides, he had promised Belle. 

His business with Mr. Booth concluded, Rumplestiltskin began the usual procedures necessary to open for business. After a week, there was a certain amount of dust (Dove had many stellar qualities, but he was no cleaner), but he was certain that Belle would want to do something about that,she genuinely enjoyed dusting, and exploring objects.. Now that the town had settled and people had found their relatives, soon they would come looking for him. Now that he was back and back in business, things were going to get interesting.

Belle came through the front door, setting the brass bell dancing. She had a distracted smile on her face, and a bag in her hand. "Finished?" she asked cautiously. 

"Not precisely, no," he said as he took the bag and began helping her out of her coat. 

"Oh, what happened?" she asked. Belle was concerned. She knew that finding Bae meant the world to him. She turned to face him, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. "I thought..."

"Mr. Booth and I have a deal. It is a complicated piece of magic that he needs from me. It will take some time and some research..."

The door flew open, causing the little brass bell which had tinkled so merrily for Belle, to jangle discordantly. "I take it you are open now, Rumplestiltskin." Albert Spencer growled as he slammed it closed behind him. 

"Well, the sign on the door does say open, dearie. I am almost certain you can read. Now come and tell me what is so important. What can I do for you, your former majesty?" he asked leaning forward across the counter. "And more importantly, what can you do for me?" The imp's smile graced his lips and Belle could almost see her love as he had been. George looked at Belle, then back to Rumplestiltskin, significantly. "You can say anything in front of Belle," he said.

"There is no need," Belle said. She had never had an interest in her love's deals, or at least not all of them. "I'll just go find those dusters and get started on the cleaning up." She squeezed his hand before collecting her tea and going through the curtain to the back room. 

Belle looked around the workroom. She hadn't really had time to properly explore before, but now she certainly had. First, though, she went to explore his cleaning supplies. Despite Rumplestiltskin's words, she knew he preferred to have his deals private and was only baiting the king because he didn't like him and had no desire to deal with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one is short but I ended up not having the time I expected. Please enjoy, read, all those things, comments make me and my muse happy.


	6. Getting Settled

When Rumplestiltskin stepped into the back of the shop, Belle was dusting the books on the back shelf. At least she was attempting to dust, while getting distracted, picking up a volume and reading a bit, duster brushing vaguely over the shelf. He stepped up behind her and slipped his arms around. It felt so very good to be able to just reach out and touch her. "Hmmm," she murmured softly. "Has George left?"

"Yes. I'm surprised you didn't hear him go back here, but then you had something to distract you."

"What did he want?" Belle asked, turning to look at him, putting the book carefully back on the shelf. 

"Oh, the usual, revenge, Charming's head on a platter, his kingdom back..." The sorcerer shrugged.

"Did you make a deal with him?" she asked, a little concerned. Rumplestiltskin was a good man, even if he didn't believe it, but he had never been one to resist a deal. It wasn't in his nature.

"No. While I have no particular love for Charming or his wife, especially considering the conditions of their dungeon, but I have less for George, and besides, he had nothing I wanted," Rumple ended. 

"And what is it you want?" Belle asked. 

"Well, I'd not say no to a kiss."

The morning passed fairly quickly. Despite the changes, Rumplestitlskin still had a few repairs to do. Just because the town had woken up, did not mean that work would just go away. Oh, he could have magicked them back together, or just returned them to their owners. Few people in town would question, now that they knew who he was. But he actually enjoyed the work, and like his wheel, it was a good way to think. The problem of August Booth was an interesting one, and required a delicate touch. What the Blue Fairy had done was rather simplistic and heavy handed, but that was the bug all over. For a brief moment he contemplated turning the fairies out of the convent. But despite the curse and everything else, he still owned most of the town, and besides, knowing that the Dark One was her landlord would irritate the Blue Fairy to no end. That in itself was enough to make it worth it. 

Belle had shoed him off to his workroom just after George left, while she went after the shop with her dusters. "If someone comes in, I can call you," she told him. He was a little reluctant. There were those that were bound to be angry with him, and he didn't want any of them going after Belle, but as she said, he was only a shout away, and besides, the shop was warded. If Regina came in, he would know before she got the door open. Not that anyone had seen her since the scene in the Mayor's office before they had gone up to the cabin. Dove had told them that when they returned home. But he was certain she was only biding her time. 

The morning passed more or less quickly. A couple of tenants actually came in to pay their rent, handing the envelopes over to Belle hurriedly and running off before she could do more than get their names and what it was for. "It seems that renting from the Dark One makes people nervous," she told him after handing over the second envelope of cash. 

"Well, there is a big difference between a landlord who can turn you out and one that can turn you into something," he said laughing at his own quip. Belle joined him.

"You wouldn't really, would you, Rumple?" she inquired when she stopped laughing. 

"Probably not, it's a lot of energy. Besides the threat is usually enough," he told her before she returned to the front and left him to his work. 

Lunch time saw them closing the shop and walking to the diner. There were looks as they walked down the street, her hand on his arm, but no one said anything, probably too frightened. In the diner, conversation stopped, as he led her to a booth in the corner. He preferred to sit where he could see everyone. Most of the town was bound to have heard of the young woman who had turned up with him at Regina's, but unless they had actually been there, few had seen her, and fewer still knew who she was. Granny gave him an only slightly less than usually hostile look, and Ruby came to the table to take their order. 

"How are you two doing?" she asked as she put down the menus. The wolf girl had apparently decided to reserve judgement now that she knew his identity. Of course, she was a friend to his Belle, which probably helped. 

"Very well, Miss Lucas," he told her with grave courtesy. 

"Fine, Ruby, or do you prefer something else?" Belle asked. She'd not really thought about asking before. 

"Ruby's good. My real name is Red, so not really much difference there."

"Regina was not terribly creative in the naming of people," Rumplestiltskin said with a smile. 

"Yeah, well..." Ruby wasn't exactly certain how to react to the sorcerer who was still treating her well. But if Belle loved him, there must be something there, and all she could do was be supportive of her friend. She took their order and disappeared into the back. Cinderella was hiding in the kitchen. 

"Is he still there?" she whispered.

"Yeah, he's there. He and Belle just ordered lunch," Ruby told her. "You can't hide in here the entire lunch rush you know. I'm sure that he won't say anything to you. Belle's with him."

"Who is she anyway, and why is she with him? I saw Gaston talking to her earlier. She was out by herself, she could just run away."

"I would keep that opinion to myself. Belle's my friend, and she's also his True Love, leave it alone," Ruby growled at her. "Look, I know you have your issues with him..."

"He tried to take my baby!" the woman exclaimed.

"You made the deal, didn't you?" the woman asked. She liked Ashleigh, Cinderella, well enough. She hadn't known her in the old world, so she only knew her here. But even she knew that making a deal with Rumplestiltskin without reading the fine print was a bad idea in any world. Of course, with the curse broken, Sean's father had gotten the two of them settled in the big house, accepting both her and their daughter back into the family fold. Even now, she knew the man was looking for a house for them (hampered by the fact that he didn't want to approach Gold about it). 

"Yes but..."

"No buts about it. You take care of the other customers, leave them to me for now, and remember what I said, you can't just avoid him."

"Thanks Ruby," the girl said, smiling. Ruby just nodded and picked up the plates. She was back working at the diner part time, when she wasn't answering the phone at the Sheriff's office, only to help Granny out while she tried to find someone else. She still wasn't sure what she wanted to do, but at least she and her grandmother were talking. It was the first step. 

 

"Okay, sweetheart?" Rumple asked Belle as they walked back to the shop after lunch. 

"Yes, why wouldn't I be?" 

He didn't want to say anything, but there was no way his brilliant love had missed the looks that people were giving them. "I told you that you would be an outcast if you stayed with me," he told her quietly.

"And I told you I didn't care," Belle answered. "Ruby is still my friend, and I have others, I'll make more. If people want to judge me for who I love, then they aren't worth the effort. You know that I will always make my own choices, and I chose you."

"And you have no idea how glad I am of that," he told her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a short chapter. Thank you for reading this. Please keep up the comments. I know I've been a little slow, but I'm having a life. If this is the only one of mine you are reading, I am in the middle of packing for Dragon Con, and then going to Dragon Con, so updates will be a little slow.


	7. Hard to keep a secret in a small town

Late that afternoon, Belle had finished with the dusting and was busy tidying one of the front cases, when Ruby came into the pawnshop. "See he's put you to work," she commented.

"Not at all, I insisted. After all I need to do something with myself. I can't just..."

The tapping of the cane alerted them as Rumplestiltskin came through the curtain. "You could, sweetheart, but you won't. There is a difference," he told them.

"No, I couldn't," she started, but stopped in deference to their company. Still, the sorcerer knew that tone, the one that assured him that the discussion was not over. "But Ruby, I have your things," she said, slipping into the back. They had planned to deliver them to her at lunch, but had changed their minds. First, the diner had been quite busy, as usual, at lunch, and secondly, Rumple wasn't sure it was a good idea for the wolf girl to be seen in close association with him. It was better for everyone that way.

"So have you decided on the apartment?" he asked politely. It wasn't as if they had a lot to talk about. Outside of Belle and Ruby's potential apartment situation there was nothing.

"I'm not sure yet. Everything has changed, but it hasn't. I mean, we're in a different world, but I'm still doing what I did before. Here I have more options," Ruby explained, not completely sure why she was telling him this, but he nodded. "Meanwhile, I'm splitting my time, working for Granny and Emma, at least until Granny finds someone. Still need someone overnight at the Sheriff's office while..."

"Yes, there is a certain difficulty involved," he agreed. Sidney Glass was back, none the worse for wear, publishing the _Storybrook Mirror._ He claimed that he remembered nothing, which might or might not be true. Still, Emma had Nottingham locked up on the break in at Gold's house, which meant a night shift. Good for Ruby at least. The Storybrooke job market was hardly full of positions, or people looking for them for that matter.

"So, Belle," Ruby said, as her friend came through the curtain and handed her the bag. It was good to be able to change the subject. She felt a little bit like Rumplestiltskin was studying her. "You got everything you need? I think we did a pretty good job, but on line is not quite as much fun as actual shopping."

"Yes, though there are a few things I could still use. But there will be time. Shoes..."

"Shoes are hard, especially since we were guessing at the size. I'm off this afternoon, if you want. We could go down to the shoe shop," Ruby volunteered carefully.

"Oh, I couldn't impose. You have other things to do I'm sure. Besides, Rumple needs..." she started, looking at him.

The sorcerer had been standing quietly behind her. He looked at Belle. He didn't want her away from him for even a moment. On the other hand, he was fairly certain that if she was with Ruby, she would be safe. As much as he wanted to keep her chained to his side, Rumplestiltskin was trying to resist. _She is yours, why should she need to..._ The wicked voice whispered, but he shoved it back in its box.  It had been remarkably quiet since the breaking of the curse, waging an almost full time war against the force of their True Love that was trying to break his curse. It left him remarkably clear headed, and able to fight against his worst nature. Besides, there were some things he needed to do, some that were best without his beloved.

"It's all right, sweetheart. I'm only open another hour and a half. It would do you some good to get out."

"But Rumple..."

"Miss Lucas, could you give us a moment?" he asked.

"Ah, sure. I'll meet you out front. Give me a chance to drop this off." She held up the bag and left the shop.

"Now love, as much as I want you to stay here, I want you to have friends, those who will stand by you. It will do you good to get out. Besides, it will do you some good to spend time with someone other than an old..." Belle put her finger to his lips.

"Don't say it," she told him. "I will go, but only because you ask. Perhaps...if it's not too much trouble, Ruby could show me the market? I would like to see about groceries."

"You don't need to do the grocery shopping," he told her, though he was already pulling out a money clip. Rumplestiltskin peeled off several bills and put them in her hand. She wanted to protest, but he hushed her with a kiss. "How many times do I have to tell you, you don't have to take care of me anymore? You aren't my little caretaker any longer," he told her putting his arms around her. "You should go shopping, enjoy yourself."

"I like taking care of you, you do so much for me," Belle told him, leaning comfortably against him. It wasn't a position that was conducive for either work or her leaving. The sorcerer pressed a kiss to her lips and then drew back. It was almost physically painful, but as much as he wanted, Rumplestiltskin knew he had to let her have a life that was more than being chained to his side.

"I love you," he said.

"And I love you. Let me do this," she asked, her blue eyes pleading. He could not resist those eyes.

"Very well. But for tonight, I will pick something up for us. What would you like?"

"I don't know, there is so much that I know about but have never tried. Maybe, could we have pizza?"

Rumplestiltskin laughed. "Whatever you wish. Now you go and have Miss Lucas take you back home when you are done. You will need this." The sorcerer made a familiar gesture and a keyring was laying in his hand. "It's the keys to the house. Now, off with you. I am certain that Miss Lucas is eager to help you spend some money." He kissed her again, and gently pushed her towards the door where Ruby had reappeared, before he lost his resolve and pulled her back to his side, hoarding her attentions like a miser. With a last look back at him, Belle went out the door.

"So, shoes, right?" Ruby asked.

 

It was almost closing time when the shop bell rang. Rumplestiltskin looked up. He hadn't been expecting any more business, not this close to the end of the day, but there were always those who were reluctant to approach him when there was the possibility of being seen by others.

"What can I..." he paused. The young woman, barely more than a girl, was the last person he had expected to see. "Well, come in," he said, waving her forward, face impassive.

"I...I don't know if you remember me, sir?" she asked cautiously.

"I remember every deal I've ever made, dearie. I hope that it was everything you wanted." If it wasn't, he would personally have to take the payment out of Regina's hide. Sarah had been through more than enough, and the queen had best not have meddled in one of his deals.

"Yes sir, thank you. The curse... when it happened, I found myself in foster care. In this world you can't be on your own so young, have a job, and things. It was alright, I was placed with a family, they are nice to me, even now. Not like..." she stopped and bit her lip, remembering.

"Yes, Sarah," he said, quickly. He didn't want to remember the situation that led the child to call on him. "But what brings you here? Surely you don't need another deal?" Rumplestiltskin asked, with just a bit of a smile.

"Oh no, sir. But you helped me and I needed... I saw something and I thought that you should know," Sarah told him quietly, not wanting to meet his eyes. She knew he had a reputation for having an uncertain temper, but he had helped her, and it was only fair.

"Well, what is it?" Rumplestiltskin asked, leaning towards her over the counter, close but not too close.

"I'm working at Granny's, just part time, but today, school was half day today. I stopped this morning on the way to see if I could get some more hours. I'm saving for some....Sorry. I was leaving on my way to school and I saw the lady, the one that you came to eat with at lunch."

"Belle?" he asked, instantly on alert. "What did you see?" He tried to keep his voice even, not wanting to frighten the girl too much.

"She was getting ready to go into the diner when a man stopped her and started trying to get her to come with him. He grabbed her arm, but then Ruby came and ran him off." The entire thing came out in one long breathless string, and then she looked at him, as if not exactly sure what to do now.

So, Miss Lucas was looking after his Belle, he appreciated that. But he was angry that it happened at all, and that she hadn't told him. Why hadn't she told him?  It must have been when she went to get tea, when he was dealing with Pinnochio. It was just like his Belle not to want to disturb him, knowing how much the deal and finding his son meant to him. "Who was this man, do you know his name?" His voice was low,q but he was making a firm effort to keep ahold of his anger. The girl didn't deserve it.

"I don't know his name, I wasn't close enough to hear, but I've seen him before. He's big and has dark hair. He works for Mr. French at the flower shop."

Gaston.

Rumplestiltskin was very still for a moment, thinking, planning. Slowly he pulled himself back into the present. "Thank you, Sarah," he responded, slowly. "You have done me a great service."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading. I hope you are enjoying this as much as you enjoyed the original. The young lady with the deal mentioned in the story, is from a story I wrote a while ago called 'Some Lines', if you want to know the details of the deal, you can look there. Please, comment and all of those lovely things. Tomorrow I fly out for Dragon, so updates may be...sparse. If you are going to be there let me know.


	8. Heels and Deals

After the girl left, Rumplestiltskin turned the sign and locked the door before returning to his workroom to do a few things that were definitely not part of the services the shop offered, or hadn't been, before. He checked some supplies, gathered the sample from Mr. Booth, and secured it in a special case before returning to put together a little something special. 

Putting together a few supplies and checking the ingredients twice, Rumplestiltskin set to work. It wouldn't be difficult or particularly time or magic consuming. It would take a couple of days, but he would have a tracking spell, one that would tell him exactly where Regina was, but these were things best done without his love, who was many things, including occasionally accident prone. Oh, he had promised Belle he would do nothing to hurt his former apprentice, but that didn't mean he trusted her, in fact, he didn't trust her at all. Thus the tracking spell, he wanted to know where she was, just in case. 

After he finished, he made certain he had everything he would need for researching Mr. Booth's little problem, not to mention to take the readings he would need at the town line later. He called in an order to the best (well, the only), pizza place in Storybrooke. He didn't particularly like pizza, but for Belle he would endure. 

As Gold left the shop and made his way down the street, (no need to take the Cadillac for such a short distance), no less than three separate people stopped to tell him about Belle's encounter with Gaston. It was hard to keep from snapping, especially when the whole town seemed to know something about his lady before he did. Of those, only one, besides Sarah's, rang of anything other than trying to curry his favour or possibly avoid his wrath. 

"Belle's my friend," the dwarf Grumpy said simply. "If you are what she wants, the True Love she was talking about back home, that's good enough for me. Besides, Gaston's an asshole. If I'd been closer, I would have taken that hand off him myself." With that, the taciturn dwarf turned around and left. Rumplestiltskin made a note to give him a break on his rent for the next month, and went to pick up the pizza while he decided what he was going to do with his wayward love. 

 

Belle heard the Cadillac pull into the driveway, and went to the door to wait for him. She had enjoyed her time with Ruby, and buying shoes in a shoe store was an interesting experience rather than having them made at the local cobbler. Still, it was good to have her love home. Besides, she was looking forward to showing off her new...she couldn't even contemplate the description Ruby had for them, but the red pumps made her almost Rumplestiltskin's height. She had been practicing walking in them since she had gotten home. Now she was just waiting for him to open the door. 

Belle heard the thump of his cane on the steps and then Rumplestiltskin came through the door. She had to resist throwing herself into his arms, partially because he was carrying dinner, partially because she wasn't completely sure of her balance on her new shoes, and would rather not fall into his arms literally. "Rumple," she said the moment he was in the door. The sorcerer looked at her, startled just a little, and then raked her figure from head to toes, his gaze heating as it moved over her. 

"I am guessing that I have Miss Lucas to thank for your sudden change in elevation?" he said softly. There was something lurking in the back of his eyes. 

"Yes," Belle responded, just a little uncertainly. She wasn't sure what to make of his expression. "Do...do you like them? She said they were...um...." Rumple put his burdens on the table and stalked towards her. Belle almost squeaked when he made it to her, and wrapped her suddenly in his arms for a long, sweet kiss. "So you...."

"Like them? I do. They suit you. Now, I think you and I have something else to discuss, don't you think?" he asked, his voice dropping low. 

"I...what is it? If it's about the shoes..." she told him, hoping beyond hope that he hadn't found out about her confrontation with Gaston. Belle had really wanted to tell him about that herself, later when he had time and didn't need to be focusing on finding his son. 

"No, my sweet one, it's not about the shoes. Would you care to tell me what happened today? Something about a confrontation you had in front of the diner? Did you really think people would not be falling over themselves to tell the Dark One that his lady had been accosted, especially when it might gain my favour? Actually I am a little surprised Miss Lucas didn't mention it."

"I asked her not to. I didn't want to disturb you while you were dealing with Mr. Booth. Finding your son is important. Gaston was just being..." 

"Himself?" Rumplestiltskin suggested. "Regardless, he accosted you and I cannot allow that to stand, love. I have too many enemies, those who would gladly try to hurt you just to get to me. Perhaps I should have Dove accompany you when you go out without me."

"Rumple, I don't need a bodyguard, especially not in Storybrooke," she replied, exasperated. "Knowing that I am with you will be enough to keep most from being stupid." She nestled closer into his arms, reassuring him with her touch. "No one is ever going to take me away from you, not now, not ever." He settled her even closer, liking the way she felt. Her small hand slipped between them to unbutton his overcoat, distracting him for the moment. 

"Perhaps, for now. But I will make you a protections charm, one that will work no matter what. I'm not actually certain that calling will work in this world, as weak as magic is," he told her, suddenly distracted by the idea. 

"Very well, I will wear your charm, but please leave me to deal with my father and Gaston. I'm sure it's Papa that has put him up to this."

"Belle," he started but she put a finger to his lips. 

"For now. I promise, if he is the least bit unreasonable, I will let you deal with it. Now, why don't we have some dinner, and then you can explain to me why these shoes are called...well, you can explain about them," she told me, blushing. 

"Deal."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I am back from con and despite having completely lost my voice, all was good and I am writing again. Thank you for your patience and please keep the comments coming. I have an idea where this is going. That being said, I will accept prompts in this universe. If my updates are slow, things are taking me at least twice as long right now.


	9. Breaking and Entering

A ripple of magic brought Rumplestiltskin bolt upright in his bed, accidentally dislodging Belle from her comfortable place on his shoulder. "Rumple?" the sleepy voice whispered behind her disarranged curls. "What's the matter?"

"The wards," he said, pinpointing where the disturbance was coming from. It wasn't as easy as it should have been, magic was still unpredictable in this land, but he'd adapted somewhat.

"Are we..." she started.

"No, it's the shop," he told her as he got out of the large bed and grabbed his discarded trousers from the chest at the foot, cursing slightly that it would take him time to figure out how to transport himself by magic. Normal methods of travel were both slow and limiting, but he'd been a little busy with other things. Rumplestiltskin was buttoning his shirt when he noticed Belle was out of bed and pulling on clothes. "What do you think you are doing, sweetheart?" he asked, pausing in his task only a moment.

"Going with you, of course. It could be anything, or anyone. I don't want you to go alone. There is no time to argue." She was right, of course, time was short and what if this was some kind of diversion to get to Belle? All of these things he considered as he finished dressing (no tie, too much of a hurry, and he wasn't completely certain where it ended up). Belle was finished as soon as he was and they hurried to the car.

While the mage drove, he handed Belle his cell phone (making a mental note to see to her having her own) to call 911 and Dove, reasoning that, while the silent alarm should have notified the station, it also should have notified him, which meant the alarm had been circumvented. Of course, the wards were another matter. During the day, they let him know if someone like Regina was coming, but at night, they responded to anyone who wasn't him, or Dove or Belle for that matter. "No, Sheriff, I have no idea..." Belle was saying into the phone. "Yes, we will meet you there, thank you." Belle hung up the phone. "The sheriff is on her way." Then she turned to dial the other number.

"Good. The question is, who would have the nerve to break into _my_ shop?" He failed to mention that the last person who actually broke in (bar Nottingham, who was breaking in to leave things rather than take them) had been her father, and it had not been at the shop. It was one of the few things he had not told her, not yet. If French failed to tell her about Rumplestiltskin's kidnapping of him, then he would not mention the little matter of the theft. They pulled up in front of the shop with in seconds of the Sheriff's car, followed almost immediately by Dove's pickup.

"Gold, what the hell?" the Sheriff asked, looking at his large...well, whatever he was.

"I believe in being prepared," he said as he exited the Cadillac. "Belle, will you stay here, please?"

"Rumple..."

"Just until we've established that the intruder is gone." She nodded. Emma Swan had drawn her gun and gestured towards the back in the universally understood sign. The front looked untampered with, but with the shop on Main Street and so close to the Sheriff's office (and everything else, Storybrooke was hardly a metropolis) only an idiot would try breaking in the front.

Judging the Sheriff had enough time, he unlocked the front door with a small pouf of magic and went inside, waving for Dove to keep an eye out. "Gold?" the Sheriff called.

"Yes," he answered, looking around, his anger starting to build.

"No one back here. Any place else they could hide?"

"Show her the basement," the mage ordered. Dove moved immediately to comply. He knew that tone of voice, and while it was never directed at him, he preferred to be out of the blast radius, at least until Lady Belle worked her magic.

"Oh, no." Rumplestiltskin turned sharply.

"Belle, I asked you...."

"I stayed. But as no one was running or slithering out, and there was no screaming, I thought it was pretty safe," she told him. "Why would someone do this?" Belle cried as she looked around in dismay. The glass cases she had so carefully polished were shattered. The heavy old fashioned register had been toppled through the case next to it, taking out who knew what all in the process, the display with the dolls was turned over and the drawers and cabinets behind the counter were pulled out and looked rifled. Worse, to her, the bookcase the books she had been caring for so very gently this morning was turned out on the floor, some of the books ripped in half. Then there was the painting that stood in front of the safe, ripped from the wall, though the safe appeared intact.

"Gold, need you back here," the sheriff called. If anything, the back room was worse. His work table had been overturned completely, the cauldron with the spell he'd started earlier spilled out across the floor, ingredients scattered all over everything which was awash with broken glass. Rumplestiltskin's anger rose to dangerous levels, his eyes almost completely black. "Gold," the Sheriff said, warningly.

"Rumple," Belle said softly, laying one hand on his arm. "Sheriff Swan is trying to help us." Slowly he reined in his anger. There would be time for that, later.

"I'm not going to ask if anything is missing at the moment, not in this mess," Emma said, looking at the devistation almost apologetically. "A lot of this looks like wanton destruction, though that could be to hide whatever it was they were looking for. But I am going to ask and I cannot believe I'm saying this, were there any er...magical items that..."

"I locked most of those safely away after the curse broke, at least the particularly dangerous ones, and I assure you, that has _not_ been interferred with," he told her.

"How do you..."

"Blood magic, Miss Swan. Only I can open that particular hiding place, though I wouldn't put it past someone to be looking for it. Only someone of my bloodline and as there is no family..." he paused, as Belle took his hand. "I have no blood family here in Storybrooke," he amended, giving his lady a gentle smile.

For her part, Emma Swan admitted to herself that, while she didn't understand it (and wasn't certain she wanted to), Belle's presence seemed to have a positive effect on the pawnbroker/mage. The Sheriff had heard enough stories about what he was capable of, and while she wasn't sure exactly which ones she believed, she knew that he was dangerous. But with Belle, he was different. _Soothing the savage beast_ , a voice that sounded a lot like her...Snow White, whispered. Emma ignored it.

"Okay, you said most." Emma went back to questioning, something she felt safe with.

"There might be one or two things that I hadn't got locked up, or even that have been hiding or lost amidst the stock," he acknowledged.

"The first thing is to figure out if the burglar was looking to rob you, get back at you, or..."

"Or if they were looking for something particular," Rumplestiltskin finished for her.

"Well the alarm was disabled, but the back door was forced. You are going to need a new door frame by the way," the sheriff told him.

"The doors are spelled against being picked, or even opened with a key unless it's held by Dove or myself, or Belle either," the sorcerer told her.

"That explains that. I'm guessing that means that the person who did it didn't have..."

"Magic. You can say it, dearie. You mean Regina, I suppose. But the answer is, not necessarily. Anyone who knows what they are doing would know that I could identify the magic done here. Think of it as a magical fingerprint. I know the feel of every practitioner in town, regardless of power, and I've no doubt that they know it. No, none of them would be stupid enough to use magic here," the old sorcerer said dismissively.

"So, what you are saying it that it could be a simple burglary, a vendetta against you, someone looking for a magical artifact, or..."

"Exactly."

"Great. I don't suppose you have a list of enemies? Or would I be better off asking who in town _doesn't_ have a grudge against you?" Belle glared at that. "Present company...you know what I mean."

"While there are quite a few who have grudges, or those who distrust me simply based on reputation, or the fact that I am still their landlord, I doubt most of those are angry enough, or stupid enough to do this."

"What about King George?" Belle asked. "He was very angry with you this morning when you wouldn't help him."

"King George?" Emma asked. She had her notebook out. "I'm still not up on all the double identities. I should make a chart."

"Or have Henry do it," Rumplestiltskin suggested. "Albert Spencer, the county DA," he supplied. "Certainly he's ham handed enough, but he rarely does his own dirty work. We probably cannot put together a list until I know what is missing."

"Yeah well, I need to at least fingerprint the place, check the glass for blood and things. It is a crime scene after all. Gold, I've got your prints, but I'm going to need yours, Belle. You too Dove, for elimination purposes. Anyone else who might have a legitimate reason to be here that I need to eliminate?"

"Ruby," Belle told her. "She was here earlier today, well, yesterday."

"Sheriff, if I might suggest something. Now that the curse is broken, Miss Lucas has full use of the heightened senses that come with her...condition."

"Use her like a bloodhound?" Emma gave him a disturbed look.

"Not exactly, but she might be able to sense more than you or even I can."

"I'll think bout it. Meanwhile, I need to process this place, so I can give it back to you. I'll need to you do a full inventory, figure out what is missing, if anything. I'll have someone come and secure that back door 'til..."

"No need, Sheriff," Rumplestiltskin said. With a flick of his wrist, the door frame repaired itself and closed and locked. "And no disturbance of evidence."

"That should make clean up easier anyway," Emma said, trying to pretend that she had gotten used to it. "Now, if you go, I can get on with this."

"Have Dove lock up after you," Gold said. He was being reasonable, which made Emma nervous, but she decided it probably had more to do with getting Belle home, than anything else. He seemed overprotective of the lady.

"Sheriff," Dove said quietly, startling her out of her thoughts. Despite his size, it was pretty easy to forget he was there. "In case you are unaware, Lady Belle was accosted today outside the diner."

 

Rumplestiltskin and Belle returned home in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. It was only after they were back in their bed that Belle said anything. "This is not going to affect what you are doing for Pinnochio, is it?" she asked, worrying her lower lip. She knew exactly how much the search for his son meant to him.

"No, not at all, my dear. I brought what I needed for that here last night."

"Okay, it just looked like you..."

"Yes, whoever broke in disrupted something, a tracking spell I was working on. It's easy enough to begin again....still."

"Do you think it was Regina? Would she really?" Belle asked cuddling closer.

"Who knows what someone will do when they are desperate enough? The question is, if it was Regina, what was she after?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading this. I hope you are enjoying and please, let me know what you think. 
> 
> The question before you all, is who broke in and what are they looking for? Also, did they find it?


	10. Investigation

"Belle, there is really no need for you to come," Rumplesstiltskin said to his beloved. Emma Swan had called at 9:00 to tell them the shop was theirs again.

"Finished a couple hours ago, but I figured someone should get some sleep," she'd told him when she called. "Besides, I'm going to need a list of what, if anything, is missing. I've also gotten Dove's prints. If you could bring Belle by for hers, that will be that. A list of customers might be helpful too. I'd hate the perp to be able to use it as a defense."

"Rumple, there is a lot to clean up," Belle had said to him.

"I can handle most of that with a little magic," he'd countered.

"But have you invented a spell that will do your inventory for you?" she asked archly.

"No, but..."

"Besides, the sheriff needs my fingerprints." The sorcerer had no counter for that one. "Come on," Belle said, tugging him gently back up the stairs. "We can have a quick shower before we go."

"We?" he asked, as he followed willingly.

"I thought if we showered together we could save time," she said with an innocence that she could still pull off.

 _Not bloody likely,_ he thought wickedly to himself. _Not of I've anything to do about it. The shop is not going anywhere_.

 

 

Consequently, it was almost 11:00 am when the couple presented themselves at the sheriff's office. Keith Nottingham had come from the back of his cage, but upon seeing who it was, who they were, he retreated as far back into the corner as he, and physics, would allow, one hand clamped tight over his mouth.

"Nice. Quietest he's been since he was booked," Emma said gesturing them into her office. "How did you manage it?"

"He once tried to make a rather offensive deal for my Belle. I merely offered him an alternative."

"You removed his tongue for being a lout and offered to put it back in exchange for the information we sought," Belle chided gently. 

"Not something that will work for me, then." Emma was looking a little green.

"Perhaps not," Rumplestiltskin said. "But you could offer to release him and remind him that I've not forgotten that he broke into my house?"

"Gold," the sheriff threatened.

"I never said I would do anything, just that the threat might keep him...polite." Emma was actually contemplating the idea, a sign of exactly how irritating she found him, when Ruby rushed in, her red cloak tossed over her uniform.

"Hey Emma, sorry I'm late, Ashliegh was late, baby's teething. Gold, Belle, heard about the break in. Not sure who's that stupid, well, that's not already here." She glanced at the cell. Keith was still trying to hide in the back. "But I brought food."

"Can you start by taking Belle's prints while Gold gives me a list of customers. Then, if you don't mind, could you..." Emma had no idea how to ask her friend the question. Gold's suggestion had been a good one, but it just seemed wrong somehow.

"Bring the wolf senses to the shop, before Belle and I have a chance to contaminate it further," Gold filled in bluntly.

"Yeah, I...er..."

"Em, it's okay. I've been like this for a long time. It doesn't bother me. Actually I kind of like the idea of being useful for something normal, not just for fighting. Come on, Belle, this fingerprint thing is easy." The two women left Gold and the Sheriff alone.

"Thanks for that," Emma said, awkwardly. "Still getting used to..."

"It's nothing, Sheriff. I want to find whoever broke in at least as badly as you do. Now, as to that list, Belle mentioned Geo...Spencer."

"Yes, and his prints are on file, county employee."

"Then there is also August Booth. He was in the shop, though only in the back room."

"What was he doing there?" Emma asked sharply.  She still wasn't exactly sure how she felt about the man.

"No, I'm sorry, sheriff, my deals are confidential. But suffice it to say, he has less than no motive to damage my shop, or anything that could prevent me from fulfilling my end. In addition, two tenants came in to pay their rent, Adrian Le Fou, one of Gaston's, that would be Gary Gastin to you, and Nottingham's cronies. Obsequious little weasel, but I am fairly certain that he's too afraid of me to do something that stupid. The other one, Deborah Trent, is a bit of a mouse. I might believe it of her sister, even her mother, but not her."

"Okay, so who was she in...you know," Emma asked.

"Drizilla Tremaine, the younger of Cinderella's two stepsisters. Like I said, for vindictive, I would consider the mother. She's never gotten over my role in Cinderella's marriage. I'm not exactly certain how she found out, though. She's probably more angry she didn't think to call on me herself," he told the sheriff with a half smile.

"What, you her fairy Godfather?" Emma asked, laughing.

"No need to be offensive," Gold said sharply. Clearly she'd hit...something.

"Sorry, but how..."

"Her fairy Godmother was...indisposed, and I merely stepped in to help the course of True Love," The sorcerer put one hand to his heart and gave her a lopsided grin that spoke to his lack of sincerity, but that wasn't someplace she wanted to go.

"So anyone else?" She asked, changing the subject.

"Yes. I assume someone told you about Gaston accosting Belle outside the diner?" he asked.

"Oh yeah, two or three," _dozen,_ she added to herself. "Thought I ought to know in case he went missing." The warning tone was clear. ('Not that you'd want to look too hard,' Granny told her. 'But just to save the paperwork.') "Care to let me know what that was all about?"

"Not particularly. Suffice it to say, Belle was once betrothed to him, before she came to live with me. He seems to think...well, shall we say that he isn't one of the great thinkers."

"That was my take on him, yeah. Now, about the confrontation..."

"Well, those that told you would be the ones that weren't climbing on top of one another to let me know. Some people because they thought I ought to know, but the rest...well, what better way to curry favour, or avoid my wrath?  Sarah, the girl who works part time in the diner, came into the shop to tell me, as did Leroy, the dwarf, they both fit into the first catagory. Several others stopped me on the way out as well, but those are the ones that actually came in. Also, Leroy does the odd bit of repair work for me, so his prints would hardly be unusual."

"Got it. You don't happen to know Sarah's last name do you?" He shook his head. "Never mind, I know where to find her."

"Sheriff, be gentle with that one," the old pawnbroker said. Emma looked at him, there was something there, but he refused to say more.

"Okay. I'm going to talk to Gaston. Please, can I get your word that you won't do anything...you won't turn him into anything."

"For the moment, I have no intention of being anywhere near him. Belle seems to think that if she talks to her father, and explains, he will stop."

"And you?"

"I'm not so sanguine," Rumplestiltksin said, his eyes going hard. "If he attempts to accost Belle again though..."

"Can you just...I don't know, transport him into my spare cell? I'll call it a citizen's arrest. But we're really not set up for housing snails." Someone had clearly been telling tales to the sheriff. "And I'd have to charge you too."

"What exactly do you think you would charge me with?" the part of him that had been a small town lawyer for the last twenty eight years asked. Emma was still trying to formulate a response when Ruby brought Belle back, wiping ink from her hands.

"What about you, Belle? Any customers or browsers that you can think of?" she asked, if only to give herself something that she could understand to focus on.

"None that are relevant. Just Gretel. She came in to see some watches. She and her brother are pooling their money for their father's birthday. She narrowed it down to two. Oh no, she was bringing her brother back to look this afternoon."

"We should be at least partially sorted by then," Rumplestiltskin said reassuringly.

"Okay, so that's my list. Ruby, you want to go with them and..."

"Yeah, don't worry, I got this," the wolf girl said, as they hurried out the door.

"Do you really think you can do anything?" Belle asked as they headed down the sidewalk.

"Don't know, but I can try. If I knew them in the old world...no offense but I didn't exactly recognise..." she looked at Gold. "You know...not without..."

"The scales and the claws?" he asked with an almost smile. "Understandable. I've not looked like this since before your mother's mother was even born. Longer than that, actually."

"But you...you smell the same," Ruby said, hoping she wasn't digging herself a giant hole. "Not unpleasant," she added hastily. "Just, under all the soaps and colognes and stuff in this world, there is a kind of...an essence, I guess." Before the conversation could get more awkward, they reached the shop, much to Ruby's relief. "I hope I can do something," she said as Rumplestiltskin unlocked the door and held it open for her. "Holy Shit!!!" she said at the first sight. "Emma said, but, just wow..."

"Quite. Now..."

"Sure." Ruby stepped into the back room, gesturing for them to stay back. Then she went in, carefully breathing in. "You, Belle, and Gold. Emma too. I think that's Dove and..." She took a deep breath and broke out into a series of explosive sneezes. "That's weird," she said when she stopped. "Anything in that..." She pointed to the overturned cauldron.

"I wouldn't think so," Rumplestitlskin said, slowly. "Nothing with a strong aromatic component."

"Could be someone's perfume," Ruby suggested. "Since I got my senses back it's a lot harder, especially in the diner. That was another reason I like working with Emma. Man, some people just don't know when to quit with the perfume." Ruby said. "Let me try again." She took another deep breath with the same results. "Damn, I'm sorry. I suppose I could go wolf and..."

"I think that would only make it worse," Gold said. "In wolf form, you are even more sensitive and we already have enough clean up."

"Sorry I couldn't help," she said, looking at Belle.

"It's all right, Ruby, you tried," the young woman replied.

"Exactly. Miss Lucas, you have helped. It was either someone wearing a very strong perfume, one you are exceptionally sensitive to, or someone was taking precautions against exactly this."

"It does tell us one thing for sure. It wasn't Gaston," Ruby said. "Unless he's working with someone else. It's not his smell, and he's not smart enough to think of taking countermeasures. Still, while I am working at the diner, if I happen to have it happen again, I'll let Emma know."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to all of those who are reading this. It's going to be picking up soon, I promise, including the revelations about who broke in and what was taken. Please, read, review, speculate, all those good things.


	11. Cleaning up

After Ruby left, they began the process of cleaning up, and inventorying. At Belle's suggestion, they were going methodically, one thing at a time. With a wave of his hand, the bookshelf righted itself, repaired, and the books returned to the shape they had been in the day before. As Rumple assured her there was nothing at all magical or valuable on the shelf (at least not when weighed against the rest), Belle put a sticky note on it indicating it was to be inventoried later and they moved on. She had discovered a fascination for post it notes, along with all the other interesting modern writing supplies, and now she was getting to use them.

Next, the register was righted and the glass case mended. Then the real work began. "There are several magical items in here," he told her. "Oh, nothing dangerous, though. Most matter not at all to anyone but the person they belong to. This..." he said holding up a ring, " probably should see that Charming knows I have it. Snow White managed to retain her engagement ring, but for some reason the wedding band managed to be here. Not quite the magical item that her other ring is. _That_ was Charming's mother's, he gave it to Snow after he woke her from the sleeping curse."

"How is it magical, or should I ask what kind of magic?" Belle asked. The imp grinned.

"I might have enchanted that one, in exchange for him hiding that little bauble with Maleficent. If he has it, it will always lead him to Snow White."

"How sweet," Belle said.

"I needed to give him something, fair exchange. Don't tell anyone, either. It will ruin my reputation."

"No it won't. As if anyone would believe it," she teased.

"Or they would assume you biased, or capable of getting me to do anything, both of which are true."

"But what is the magic in _that_ ring?" she asked.

"Oh, minor enough binding, clerical, they go in for that sort of thing when they can. Not that those two need it."

"I thought your magic and the clerics..."

"No love, not my magic, just me. The clerics use whatever is available, and bless it to the Gods. Most are harmless enough, but they had their fanatics. I've not seen one since we came here, so maybe they stayed behind. But they dislike any magic they can't control, and they can't control me. Now..."

"Yes, and we should get on. That's not missing." The rest of the case was much the same way. Dove turned up, bringing some takeaway that Gold had clearly asked him to bring. While Belle fixed tea, (after they spend some time finding the electric kettle, the tea, the sugar bowl, and Rumplestiltskin mending the cups with a little magic), the two men conferred on some tasks that Gold had for him.

"There is little for you to do here," he told the big man. "However, there are still those other things. And keep an eye out. I've not seen Regina since before we left, and I like to know where she is, since she's not in the jail."

"Do you think she is behind this?" Dove asked quietly. Neither of them wanted to worry Belle unduly.

"I don't know yet, but I prefer to err on the side of being prepared." The other man just nodded.

When they finished their break, Rumplestitlskin had righted the doll display and left his lady to check it against the inventory while he went to make a start on the backroom. Fortunately, he had put the pieces he was working on back into the safe, but getting his tools and supplies sorted was going to be an annoyance. Despite appearances, Gold was fastidious about his workroom and his tools, not to mention spilling many difficult to come by magical ingredients all over. Whoever had destroyed his workroom had made chaos out of his order. It didn't bode well for them.

 

"Could you step down, I have to ask you some questions," Emma Swan said to the back of the behemoth loading flowers into a van next to 'Game of Thorns'.

"Well sweetheart, you can ask me just about anything you want," the man said, turning and giving her the appreciative once over, probably convinced that he was charming. Too bad it wasn't going to work on her.

"I'm here to talk to you about an incident that took place yesterday, in front of the diner. You were seen arguing with Miss Belle French outside Granny's and..."

"Did that bastard complain about me? It's none of his business. Belle is..."

"I don't know who you are talking about," Emma said, though she had a pretty good idea. "But the answer is, several complaints were lodged, saying that you had accosted Miss French and tried..."

"You don't understand, Belle's my fiancee, so..." he growled. Emma was wondering exactly what she would do if he got in her face, but she really hoped he wasn't that stupid.

"I don't care who she is, if I catch you putting hands on her or anyone else without their permission, I'll haul your ass to jail. We have laws."

"You don't understand how it is. It's okay, let me explain it to you," Gaston said, turning on what he clearly thought was the charm. "See, now that the curse is broken, and we all know who we are, things can go back to the way they're supposed to be. None of this women's lib stuff. You can settle down and get married, just like all the others. You wouldn't be half bad, if you put on a dress, you know, tried to look like a real woman. I'd be interested if I weren't already..."

Emma didn't know whether to laugh or cry. The man was a stereotype on legs. If wattage were brains he wouldn't make a nightlight. "Listen, Mr..."

"It's Sir Gaston, and you need to listen to me, sweetheart, I know you were born here, but..." That was the last straw.

"All right, you Neanderthal, I've had about enough of your bullshit. This isn't the Enchanted Forest, and while _I'm_ sheriff, we are going to do things by the law of the land, that would be _this_ land. That means, I'm in charge until..."

"You can't be," he laughed. "You're just a..."

"Finish that sentence, and I will find a reason to lock you up," Emma said.

"Hey, no reason to get upset. I'm just..."

"Getting on my last nerve. So, for right now, you are going to tell me where you were last night, around 2:00 in the morning, when Gold's shop was broken into."

"Gold's shop?" Gaston asked. He'd lost a certain amount of bluster, and about two shades of colour. "What do you mean?"

"You didn't hear? The pawnshop was broken into and vandalised early this morning, and since you were known to have a dispute with him..." Emma left it hanging with a smirk. Yep, smart enough to be scared of Rumplestiltskin, behind all the bluster.

"I was running a little late this morning. I...ah..." he paused.

"Okay, where were you last night?  It's a simple enough question."

"I was at the Rabbit Hole 'til closing. Then I went home and went to bed," he said, slightly uneasy.

"Anyone verify that?" the sheriff said.

"My word should be good enough," he said sullenly.

"Well, it isn't. I'm going to have to check it. Meanwhile, I'm going to give you some free advice. From what I can tell, Belle is only interested in one man, no matter what you think." _If you think_ , she added to herself. "And that man is most definitely _not_ you.  That means bothering her is harassment, and that's if I get to you before he does. Remember that." She turned and left the man sputtering to himself.

 

Belle finished what she was doing in the front and slipped through the curtain to see if Rumple was ready for a cup of tea, and maybe a break. Her beloved was leaning heavily on his cane, but the room was looking much more tidy than it had.  The table was back up, ingredients, and components back in their appropriate places. When she tapped him on the shoulder, she could see exactly how tired he was, though. Perhaps it was time to convince him to go home?

"You are overtaxing yourself," she accused gently.

"I'm fine," he told her, but there was something on his face, something more than just overuse of the limited magic.

"What is it?" she asked, putting a hand on his arm. "Have you found something? Surely they didn't..."

"I have found what is missing."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to all who are reading. I hope you are enjoying this. Sorry about the cliffhanger, blame my sister (okay, only so sorry). Hope the clues have been clear but if not, you might want to take a look at the end of the original. Please do that lovely thing where you tell me how you feel about it.


	12. Missing

"You need to call the sheriff," Belle told him. "She needs..."

"She can't deal with this. Emma Swan barely believes in magic, she most certainly can't fight it," Rumplestiltskin told her. "This is well beyond her."

"Rumple, even if she can't handle it, she needs to know. You've said yourself that it could only be Regina."

"Well, if it _had_ been anyone else, they'd not know what it was. I cannot see an ordinary burglar, or even someone with a grudge against me personally, accidentally stealing the one and only dangerous magical artifact not in my safe, especially as it's of no actual monetary value.  Even if there was someone else to sell it to, half the case out there is worth more. Besides, just about anyone else would have probably solved the problem already. There is something else as well. I can't put my finger on it, but it feels like there are some other things I can't account for. Not artifacts, ingredients."

"All the more reason to tell her. If Regina is the one, and if she is going to use it, the list of people who she would want to..."

"Includes both you and I. Belle, I don't want you to be here. I need you to go home," he said urgently.

"Home, why?" Belle asked.

"Home because the house can be warded against, well, actually just about everything. I can make it safe and keep you..."

"No." Belle stated.

"Wh..."

"No. Rumple, first, despite how you are trying to hide it, I can tell you have been overdoing it. You are still getting used to working with magic here."

"That doesn't..." he interrupted, reaching for her. But she pulled out of his grasp.

"The safest place for me is beside you," she told him defiantly, daring him to contradict her. Of course, there was nothing he could say to that. "Now," she continued, " you need to call the sheriff. Even if you are the only one who can do anything about it, she needs to be warned. Do I need to remind you that Emma Swan and her family are also on that list of people? Not to mention the danger to the rest of the town."

"None of those people are my concern, Belle," he appealed, but the look rapidly hardening on her face made it clear that that was both the wrong thing to say, and that she wasn't going to give in. _You could just do it. A small enough spell_ , the darkness whispered. _Just for her safety of course_. That was enough to decide him.

 

"Okay Gold, I'm here, what's going on?" Emma Swan shouted impatiently as she came through the door of the pawnshop. "You said you had answers." Not seeing him, she moved toward the back of the shop, colliding with Belle in the curtained opening into the back.

"Come in, Sheriff," Belle said, waving her back to where Rumplestiltskin was, at his lady's insistance, sitting down with tea and a couple of scones. "Would you like a cup?" she offered. Belle had been born and raised a lady of the old world, and nothing was going to change that.

"Er, no thanks," Emma said. "Not really a tea drinker. I see things are coming together, so what's so important? Did you discover something?"

"Sheriff, it seems I was...mistaken," Rumplestiltskin said carefully. The darkness was growling loudly in the back of his mind, and he was still certain that this was a bad idea, but Belle was right about one thing, the sheriff was, at the very least, fairly high up on the short list of people that it was likely to be used against if he was right. If he wasn't, of course, the problem had, or would no doubt, shortly solve for itself. Stupidity and magic could easily prove fatal, but he was certain he was right.

"About what, and can we do this quick. I've got..."

"What you _have_ is a problem, a bigger one that you believe," he said sharply. Belle came and dropped a hand on his shoulder. The change was instantaneous. He seemed to...well, Emma would not have said relax, but at least he was less snappish. "And unfortunately there is nothing you can do about it."

"Tell me," Emma said with a deep breath, dropping into a nearby chair. She was almost certain she didn't want to hear what he was going to say. She was also equally certain that the only reason she had been called, rather than Gold reverting to form, and deciding to hand out his own form of justice, was the woman standing by his side.

"It seems, when I said that all the dangerous magical artifacts that I knew about were put away in my safe, I was not entirely correct."

"Oh God. What? And how many? I thought you said that you had put everything you knew about away safely."

"Ah well, actually, I'm afraid your father is partially responsible."

"Rumple," Belle whispered.

He turned and gave her a smile. "Before we left town for the cabin, I stopped by here, to do exactly as I said, to check that everything was safely away. I happened on a dangerous little trinket on the shelf. I had not put it away, actually, I had forgotten I still had it."

"And..."

"And, then _your father,_ " he said with emphasis, revelling just a little in the way the mention of her parents disconcerted her. After all, he had to amuse himself somehow. "He burst in here looking for my help with a little matter. I'm sure you remember, Evil Queen, bloodthirsty, angry mob? You weren't there, in fact, you managed to be just late enough to miss catching her."

"Hey, don't..."

But the old sorcerer held up a placating hand. "No blame, sheriff. But you can see how it might have slipped my mind, considering."

Emma just nodded. He was right. She didn't _like_ Regina or trust her, but that wasn't important. She had been out by the old well when the mob had gone for the former mayor. In fact, she was fairly certain that had been the point of the call that took her out there. If Gold hadn't stopped it, well, the mob would have either gotten Regina, or she would have gotten them. No matter what, it would have been a mess. "Who knew you had whatever it was? Do you think that's what they were after? And what the hell is it, anyway? What kind of danger..."

"Which question would you like to me to answer first?" he snapped. "Or would you just be quiet and let me explain?"

"Okay, I'm listening."

"Very well. It took me a bit to notice it was missing, no surprise in this mess, which I suspect was at least part of the point. I doubt that it was actually the motivation behind the break in, though. No one in town would know I had it, bar Belle, and there are only three people in town who would even know what it is, well possibly four. Sidney might, after all, he was a genie," he said distractedly.

"Sidney? Sidney Glass? He...no, never mind, not important. So who..."

"Myself, of course. Then there is the Blue Fairy, though as much as I dislike her and her ilk, breaking and entering is not like her.  She would consider it beneath her. Then there is Regina."

"Regina? I thought you said that you would..." Emma was suddenly all ears.

"What I said was that _if_ magic was used, I would recognise it. Which is undoubtably why it was not."

'So you think that she broke in here the old fashioned way, looking for..."

"Probably whatever she could find. She knows I keep things here, ingredients, the odd potion, things from my laboratory back in the old world, much the way she brought her own things.  What I think is that she came to steal what she needed for whatever she is planning, and tore the shop apart to cover her tracks, to make it look like a grudge. I'm not a well liked man, after all." He gave her a crooked smile.

"So she breaks in, grabs...whatever, overturns the rest, throws it around the room so you can't tell what was taken, and while she's here, she finds this thing...what is it? You still haven't actually told me what I am looking for yet or what I am up against. Do you know what she is going to do with it?"

"It is a talisman, a small enough thing.  It was on the shelf there, secured inside a wooden box. What it does is summon a wraith, a sort of relentless malevolent entity.  It will hunt the person that carries the mark put there by the talisman. But it has to come into contact with the intended victim's skin. The other reason I suspect Regina is that if anyone who didn't know what it was stumbled upon it, in all likelihood, then as I said, they would have solved the problem for us already."

Ten minutes later, Emma Swan left the shop, her cell phone already to her ear. If the man was right (and this was magic, so what did she know?) Regina was likely to go after either Mary Margaret or David, possibly herself. Of course Gold and Belle were also on that list, but he had assured her that he could protect both of them. "Of all the people on Regina's list, I am the only one capable of defending myself, and I will protect Belle. If you want my advice, warn your parents and start searching for Regina."

"And if I find her?" she'd asked.

"Well, you call me, of course," he'd said. "And Sheriff, I'd not accept anything she tried to hand you. In fact, I would suggest gloves for the foreseeable future." Then he'd smiled that predatory smile that always made her nervous.

However, he had promised, with a little prodding from Belle, that he would try to figure out which ingredients were missing, and try to extrapolate what exactly Regina was trying to create. Emma had tried to thank him, but he'd brushed it off by reminding her that he wasn't doing it for her, but he and Belle were at least as likely to be targets. "Besides, Miss Swan, I want my talisman back."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, as always, thank you to everyone who is reading this. The answer to what and who is here. Please read, review, and tell me what you are thinking. It really helps me keep going on it.


	13. Information

Regina Mills sat in the darkness looking at her prize, laying on the top of its box. It had been a stroke of luck, the perfect coincidence, that she had found it. Her original purpose was to acquire some ingredients for a particular spell, a disguise spell, and maybe get her hands on a potion or two. Rumple had always been very good at those. Rumplestiltskin, Gold, had been awake long enough to organise his things in preparation for the return of magic, which she knew he had orchestrated. But this, she wondered how he had managed to leave it out. _Probably too distracted by that little chit of his,_ Regina thought with distaste. That Rumplestiltskin, of all people, could have found True Love, that was proof enough, as far as she was concerned, that she was better off without it.

For now, though, she needed to figure out exactly how she was going to use her prize, and quickly. No doubt Rumplestiltskin would emerge from his sickeningly happy bubble long enough to deal with the mess she had left him. Besides her making it look like a bit of vandalism, that didn't mean he wouldn't know it was missing. The question was, how long 'til he discovered it was missing and track it to her? After all, she doubted anyone else would know what it was, or want it. _Should have taken a few things, keep up appearances_ , Regina told herself, but she hadn't been able to bring herself to do it. She was no thief.

Still, he was going to figure it out. Regina had no doubts about his capabilities. He was adapting to the magic here much more quickly than she was, but he also had a few hundred more years of experience under that expensive, Italian leather belt. What she couldn't do was count on his infatuation to keep him distracted for long. It was possible that he would have ignored her going after Swan or her sickening parents, as long as it didn't inconvenience him, but she had broken into his shop, and he wouldn't let that stand. What she needed right now was information and a plan. Fortunately, the Evil Queen knew exactly where to get the first.

 

After Emma Swan left, Belle had insisted that he focus on trying to figure out if anything else was missing, without magic. He knew he had done enough in that way today. Magic here was odd, it tasted different, responded to his command strangely, though it did still respond. It would take time and at this exact moment, that was something he didn't have to spare. Still, he sat and focused on the ledger before him, on what he was certain was gone, and what uses they could be put to while Belle worked on the last of the sweeping up.

"What would you like for dinner, Rumple?" his love, as if conjured by his thoughts, addressed him. "I have been to the grocery store. It was amazing. I've never seen so much food. It was hard not to buy everything, you know," she rhapsodized.

"There will be time for that later," Rumplestiltskin told her. "But we have both been working hard today, and I still have to get out to the town line. Something distracted me last night." He reached out and pulled her close, the knowing smile on his face causing her to blush so very becomingly. "The Magic Carpet has Agrabahan cuisine, the best and no doubt only, in this world. How about we pick something up tonight and you can cook tomorrow?"

"That's hardly fair, you know how much I love Agrabahan food," she accused, but he didn't look the least bit sorry. "Very well, we have a deal," she said, leaning down to kiss him. All of their deals, even the smallest, were sealed that way. "I could go pick it up while you..."

"No. I thought we agreed, sweetheart. If you will not allow me to keep you safe at home, then you will stay by my side."

"All right," she agreed easily. If he was going to be overprotective (and considering the current situation, he probably had cause, Belle had to admit), at least this way she wasn't confined to the house. She loved it, really. It was a beautiful cage, much better and bigger than her cell, but now that she could come and go, Belle preferred the freedom. Besides, she could hardly regret having to spend all her time with her love, they had a lot of time to make up for. Compromise was the best way to do things while they were still feeling their way. "Then we can both go, but for now..."

A knock at the front door of the shop interrupted her. Of course, the sign was turned to 'Closed' and the door was locked. Surely there wasn't anyone in town who wasn't aware of the break in. Still, a moment later, there was another knock. Belle pulled back from her love. "Best get that, shall I?" She smiled.

"I don't want you..." he started.

"Rumple, do you honestly think Regina would knock on the door and announce herself on the off chance that I would answer?" she asked with a bit of fond exasperation. "If it's her or Gaston, I just won't open the door, all right?"

Rumplestiltskin nodded, but as she went through the curtain, he pulled himself off the stool and followed.

"I'm sorry," Belle said as she opened the door to the tall, lean, black man who looked vaguely familiar. "But as you can see, the shop is closed and Rumplestiltskin is not..."

"Stand back from the door, Belle,' the sorcerer said sharply, seeing who it was. "What do you want, Glass? Information to crawl back to your mistress with? Or did she send you? Speak up, dearie, before I decide which sort of invertebrate to turn you into.' For the first time, he sounded every inch the imp Belle had first met, and fallen in love with. Glass, Sidney, servant of the Evil Queen, her memory supplied. The man who had broken into their home. She stepped even further back, to Rumple's side, never once turning her back on the former Magic Mirror.

Glass held up both hands defensively, going a little pale. One hand was clutching a pen and notebook. "None of that, really. Nothing like that at all. Despite the Curse now being broken, the paper still needs to be published, and with Regina gone, I'm back at my job. I heard about the break in, but I thought..." He paused and carefully lowered his hands, making no sudden moves. "Since it wasn't going to make today's edition, anyway, I thought that you might be more receptive to giving me the details after you had some time to clean up. It is big news, you know."

Rumplestiltskin still didn't trust him, obsequious little lap dog that he had always been. On the other hand, if he was legitimately just looking for a story, and considering how little happened in Storybrooke, he had a point. The break in was probably what passed for front page news. It would certainly be better than some other things. If, on the other hand, Sidney was acting true to form, it gave Rumple control over what he ran back to his mistress with, or what he published for that matter. Control of information was always good. "Very well,' Rumplestiltskin said, catching Belle's eye significantly. "Ask your questions. Be quick about it though. We have other things to do, and as you say, there was a lot of work to clear up."

"I'll just go clean up the tea things," Belle said, starting to slip through the curtain.

"Er, Miss French?" Sidney asked, at his oily best. "Perhaps later, when you have time, would you be interested in granting me an interview?"

"Leave her alone, Glass. I could change my mind very quickly, and not just about your story."

"Of course, so what can you tell me? The shop looks relatively intact. Have you figured out what they wanted? Was the register broken into? What about your safe? The last time you had a break in, it was related to one of your...er... deals. Could this..." Sidney stopped at the look on the sorcerer's face.

"The break in was entirely an act of vandalism. Nothing was taken, neither was the safe opened. Anyone who has deals with me can be assured that their confidentiality as well as their contracts are completely safe." It was a lawyer's answer, but then what was the deal maker at his heart? It would also look good in the paper, and the reporter was aware of it too. He scribbled away, trying to get it word for word.

"So if nothing was taken and it looks..."

"Everything out here has been sorted. Unfortunately most of the damage was to my workroom. Repairs might be set back a bit as I will be sorting things for some time. But over all, it was petty, nothing but a nuisance. I have every confidence that the sheriff will have it taken care of soon enough. Now if you will excuse us, it has been a long day." Belle had come out of the back room with both of their coats as if the point needed making.

"Ah, of course. Ummm, might I snap a quick picture? I mean to show that everything is..."

"Get on with it, as long as Belle and I aren't in it," he growled. It had the desired effect. Sidney pulled a camera from the pocket of his trenchcoat and snapped a quick picture, but his hands were shaking hard enough that Rumplestiltskin had doubts about whether it would be usable. Nor did he care. Let Regina think he hadn't found anything missing yet. Let her think she had time, all the while wondering if he was up to something. Meanwhile, one look at that picture, even blurry, would make the point that he was far more in control of his magic in this world that she was. Let her stew. "Belle," he said, helping her into her coat while Sidney looked longingly towards the back room as if he wanted to see the damage there (he no doubt did,) but was too afraid to ask. Instead, he thanked them and left (fled).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading this. I am glad you are enjoying. Please keep up with the comments, it keeps me going. It might be a bit slow going, as I am trying to finish another story that is close to the end before NaNoWriMo, and that always eats my time as well.


	14. Unwelcome visitor

Gold waited 'til he was certain Sidney was gone before he turned to Belle and started to encourage her towards the door. "Do you really have to go out to the town line tonight?" she asked, worried. "You have done an awful lot today. What is one more day?"

"I'll be fine, sweetheart," he said fondly. "Just need something to eat, and a little time alone with you to relax."

"Are you..." she started, as they moved towards the door once more, which opened suddenly before them.

"Oh, for..." Rumplestiltskin cursed under his breath.

"Belle, my girl, are you all right? I just heard and I had to run and see...."

Rumplestiltskin ground his teeth. _Garden snail?_ The voice of his curse whispered. For the first time, he was giving serious consideration to listening to it. It had been fairly quiet recently, battling against the power of True Love to break it, but it was old, powerful, and canny. Still, it kept quiet for the most part, and when it wasn't, all it usually took was Belle's touch for it to retreat. It was just as protective of his love as he was though, strange as it seemed. All he wanted was to take Belle home, after a stop to pick up dinner. Maurice French was the last thing he wanted right now (or ever, actually).

"Papa, what are you talking about?" Belle asked him, looking confused. "I'm fine.  The shop was broken into in the middle of the night. No one was even here, so there is nothing to worry about."

"It doesn't matter," Maurice said, his face red in anger. "He is dangerous and evil, and this is all his fault. What if you had been here, Belle? He's the _Dark One_ , my girl, he has _enemies_. Now, there will be no more of this, I forbid it. No more of this 'true love' nonsense. You are coming home with me, right now." He reached out one beefy hand to grab her arm, but Rumplestiltskin interrupted him.

"Lay one finger on her against her will," he growled low. "And you will find yourself without hands altogether." He drew himself up to his full, though not considerable, height, and glared at the man.

"Are you threatening me?" Maurice said. "I'll have the Sheriff on you, for that and for keeping my daughter. Now come on, Belle. I won't repeat myself. I'm your father and you will **obey** me."

"Two things you have wrong," the sorcerer commented casually. "The first, I am certainly not threatening you. I don't threaten, I make promises based on behavior. Secondly, Belle is an adult, over the age of consent, which means you have no legal authority over her. She comes and goes as _she_ wills, not you, not I. No one makes those choices for her."

"She is my daughter, and she answers to to me," Maurice argued petulantly.

"And Belle is still an adult, not to mention..."

"Right here," she interrupted both of them. "And can speak for herself." Rumplestiltskin nodded, clearly conceding her right. Maurice was starting to smile, clearly convinced that he had won. "Papa, I'm not going with you. I am an adult. I make my own choices and I choose Rumple, always. I love him, and I trust him. You need to figure out whether or not you can live with that. But if you try to take me away from him against my will..."

"Belle, how can you..." But she stopped him.

"Are you going to listen to me, Papa?" she scolded him.

"I could take his tongue," Rumple suggested.

"You see, he's a monster. He's threatening me and I..." her father started again.

"And if you don't stop, I won't try to persuade him next time he suggests something," Belle snapped, exasperated. "Honestly, I'm not your little girl anymore. I haven't been in a very long time, not since I went with Rumple the first time. I love you, Papa, but you've never listened to what I want. You tried to marry me off to _Gaston_ , for the Gods' sake!"

"It's a good match, and he's still willing..."

"Not while I am breathing," Rumple muttered.

"It's _not_ a good match, it wasn't before, and it's certainly not now. He's brainless, boorish, arrogant, and it doesn't matter, because in this land, women have their own rights. I am going home, to the house I share with my lover, Rumplestiltskin, who I love, and who loves me. Until you accept my choice..."

At the word lover, her father winced visibly. "Never.  I will never accept that you chose this...this beast, over your family. It must be some kind of magic. I'll find a way to free you."

"It's not him that's making me choose, it's you. When you stop trying to make my decisions for me, and accept that I know what's best for myself, accept that Rumple and I are together, then we will have something to discuss. Until then, there's nothing for us to talk about," she told him sadly, turning into Rumplestiltskin's arms.

"Shut the door on your way out, dearie," the sorcerer told him. "And make it quick before I lose my patience with you and go with my first thought."

Maurice retreated, muttering under his breath while he watched his daughter seek comfort in the arms of his enemy. Surely she would come to her senses? The question was, after how much damage to her, to her reputation. Already he had heard his daughter referred to as the 'Dark One's Lady'. It wouldn't do, not at all. What he needed was a plan. It was time to go back home and talk to Gaston, but first, perhaps he should try the sheriff, surely she could do something?

 

Belle buried her head in his shoulder and let the tears flow. She hated being at odds with her father, really she did, but she wan't going to let him control her life. After all, what made him think he knew better about her life than she did?

"Hush love, it will be fine," he whispered into her hair. _Once he gets his head out of his ass_ , he added to himself.

"I don't understand. Why can't he just accept that I love you?"

"Because it's me? Because I am the man who took his little girl away, stole her from his side?" he suggested.

"You didn't though, I chose to go. If it were your son..." she started, crying a little harder.

Rumplestiltskin sorted through his thoughts quickly. It wasn't the same, at least not to Maurice. If Belle had been a son, she wouldn't be having these troubles with her father. It wasn't right and it wasn't fair, but it was the way things were, at least for some. "I lost my son a long time ago. To get him back, I tore the world apart. If he has someone in his life, I will welcome them, no matter what, just to have him back. But this isn't..."

"It is, and he's being a big..." She thought about it for a few moments. "He's being a horse's ass, and I'm not going to waste any more of my night on him. I am not the one who is wrong here."

"No love, you're not. Now, let us put him out of our minds and pick up dinner. We wouldn't want the food to get hot."

"Or cold, you didn't forget the kabobs did you?"

"Never." As they left the shop, Rumplestiltskin reflected that while he accepted the fact that he would not be most father's choice of partner (hopefully, husband, someday, preferably once everything settled down), it wasn't worth losing a child from your life. Unfortunately, he also didn't think that they had heard the last of Maurice French, and next time, the curse wasn't necessarily going to be as patient with the man, and he might just let it. _Snails are still an option_ , the voice reminded him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for still reading this. I know it's been a long time since I updated, but I had life. Please, read, review and all those lovely things. More as soon as I can.


	15. Minor inconvience

Maurice French marched himself straight to the sheriff's station after his confrontation with his daughter and her sorcerer. He couldn't believe that she was defying him like that and certainly not over that monster. Of course she had always been strong willed, but still, it wasn't possible that she was staying with him willingly. He would fix things, as soon as he got her away from the monster.

"Mr. French," Ruby greeted him from behind the desk. "What can the sheriff's department do for you?" she asked cheerfully. Keith Nottingham had come to the bars to find out what was going on. He had gotten very bored locked up in the jail.

"I want to report a kidnapping and threats made to me. Rumplestiltskin is holding my daughter and won't return her." Ruby blinked at the florist twice, while Keith decided to return to his bunk. No way did he want to even be near that conversation.

"I'm sorry, did you just say you wanted..." The wolf girl was trying to process what she had heard.

"I want Rumplestiltskin arrested and Belle returned to her home," he reiterated.

"Mr. French, Belle's my friend, and I can tell you that I'm absolutely positive that she isn't being held against her will," she told him cautiously. "If she..."

"If you're still walking around on two feet he wasn't threatening," Keith commented from the cell behind her.

"That doesn't matter. I want her home. Her deal with him in the old world is broken. She needs to come home now," he demanded, just as Emma walked through the door.

"That's the last of them. Everyone who should be told... Mr. French, what are you doing here?" the sheriff asked.

"You can take care of this. I'll just pop over to Granny's and pick up the prisoner's dinner," Ruby said getting up. "Want anything?" She pulled her purse from beneath the desk.

"I'll have the special," Emma told her distractedly. "Mr. French, follow me." She started towards her office.

"Don't forget my ketchup this time," Nottingham called from his corner.

"You are lucky we feed you," Ruby returned. "Get handsy again, you'll be wearing your dinner."

Emma closed the door on the too familiar conversation. "Now, Mr. French, what do you need?"

"I need Rumplestiltskin arrested and my daughter brought back home."

 

After they had picked up dinner, Rumplestiltskin took the two of them home. They were both tired, and Belle was more distressed than she was letting on. Once they were home, and curled up on the settee with their dinner, he pulled his lady close.

Belle was more distressed by her father than she appeared and he knew it. Actually he was tired, more tired than he had been in a long time. The fact was, he'd used more magic than he had since he'd brought it back to this world and he still had so very much work to do. He still needed to test the town line, to see what the boundaries were.

He also needed to get the list of what the missing ingredients could be used for, and to work on August Booth's little problem, and he was rapidly running out of time. The bracelet the sorcerer had given him would only help so long, it mitigated the effects, but it wouldn't work forever. Unfortunately he was running up against at a problem with that, or rather a side effect.

Still, he needed time with Belle. _It will be fine_ , he justified to himself. _I don't need sleep, after all. I am practically immortal._

 

"You what?" Emma asked, praying she had misheard him.

"I want you to arrest Rumplestiltskin for kidnapping my daughter and bring her home. The deal is null, and she has a duty to her family," he told her.

The sheriff sighed. "Mr. French, I understand you don't like Mr. Gold..."

"It's not a matter of liking him. Of course I don't _like_ him, but that doesn't matter. He is keeping me from my daughter and he threatened me," he said, going red in the face as he got angry. "He's dangerous."

"First of all, there is nothing I can do about any deal between them, and as far as I can see, Belle is happy exactly where she is."

"She can't be. It has to be some kind of magic, some spell. Belle would never stay with that beast if she had a choice in the matter."

"That is not my impression of the situation. I had the opportunity to see them interact before the breaking of the curse, and she seemed...devoted to him," Emma said diplomatically. There was no way the man was going to accept that Belle was very much in love with Gold from what she had seen. She just had to hope that the pawnbroker hadn't actually done anything she would have to act on, especially since at the moment, he was the only one who knew how to deal with Regina. "Now, as to him threatening you, that might be actionable. Why don't you sit down and tell me exactly what happened?"

"I'm sure there was something else, some kind of coercion. Belle's a good girl. Sometimes she has her head in the clouds, but she knows her duty. I just went over to the shop. I was worried after the break in. I thought she would have figured out exactly how dangerous he was. He has enemies. But she wouldn't come with me, and he threatened me," the florist said indignantly.

 _Wonder why_ , Emma thought irreverently. "Mr. French, how old is Belle?" she asked, getting down to details.

"Well, I don't..." he started, a little flustered. "With the curse and all..."

"Ignoring the curse. How old was she when you came to this world?"

"Twenty two, I think. I don't remember what time of year it was...twenty two or twenty three? What does that have to do with anything?" Moe asked.

"Okay, in this world, she is considered an adult, so there is nothing I can do if she doesn't want to leave him. Unless you are saying that for some reason she is mentally incompetent, but I warn you, to revoke her rights in that way would require a hearing and an evaluation. As sheriff, I would have to testify to her mental abilities, and frankly, she seems to know her own mind to me. Now, you said he threatened you? What exactly did he do?"

 

When Ruby returned with dinner, Moe French had left and Emma was sitting in her office. She delivered dinner to the prisoner and then went to see what her boss was up to. "Hey. It's meatloaf tonight. Brought you some pie too. How did things go with Moe French?" she asked.

"Wasn't anything I could do for him. I kind of feel sorry for him. He really thinks he is doing the right thing for her, and he doesn't understand. I get it. I don't know what I would do. But Belle is an adult, and there is no way she's going to leave the man."

"Yeah, she's definitely in love with him. He'll come around, I'm sure he will," Ruby said cheerfully.

"Sure, sometime after they are married with kids. But that's not my problem. I just hope he doesn't do anything stupid. Gold is not stupid, and he's a lawyer. I don't need to add another prisoner."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I am so sorry it has been so very long since I wrote on this story. Life and other stories got in the way, but I should be back to it now. Thank you for reading, and please, please leave comments. They help me keep going.


	16. Minor Issues

Belle woke in the big bed she shared with Rumplestiltskin, alone. Troubled, she slid out of the bed, found her robe and slippers, and made her way downstairs. She was almost certain where she would find him. She made her way through the kitchen, the nightlight throwing everything into shadow. Opening the door, she could hear her love moving around, busy in his laboratory. One question answered, she put on the tea.

As she suspected, Rumplestiltskin was doing something at his worktable, and she stood quietly, afraid to disturb him if it was delicate. After a couple of moments, he realised she was there and looked up. "Belle, love, what's the matter?" he asked.

"Woke up alone," she told him. "I was worried."

"I'm sorry," he said coming from behind the table to her. "I've quite a bit of work to do. I didn't want to wake you, you need your sleep."

"And so do you," Belle said. "But since I can't convince you to do so, I made us some tea. I don't suppose I could convince you not to open the shop in the morning?" she asked.

"Now, Belle, how would we ever know what was going on in town without opening the shop? Besides, I"m a mo..." Belle shot him a warning look. "A man of habits," he amended. "I am probably better off at work."

"Come upstairs and tell me," she said, tugging on his arm. "Maybe I can help."

"I doubt it, love. It's..."

"Not with the magic, no, but perhaps talking will help," she said, urging him up the stairs. After tea, Belle managed to encourage him back to bed. Of course, Belle was very good at encouraging him. "A little sleep will help you think," she told him as they cuddled up in bed together. "In the morning we will take care of everything."

 

In the morning Belle cooked breakfast while Rumplestiltskin went over his list of the possible uses of the ingredients that were stolen. "We can go out to the town line before we go to the shop," she told him as put his plate on the table. "If you are late opening, no one will care. But what about Mr. Booth's problem? Do you have an answer?"

Rumplestiltskin sighed. "An answer, yes. But it is not a good one. The spell that turned him human is heavy handed and overly complicated. Reversing what is happening to him is easy enough. Doing it without running a huge risk of returning him to the age he was when he became human, that's another. I'm not sure Mr. Booth wants to spend the next twenty eight years growing up again."

"I am certain he would prefer it to turning to wood," Belle reminded him. "Why don't you offer him the option?"

 

The day at the pawnshop started quietly enough, until Emma Swan stopped by. She wanted to discuss the Moe French situation. Actually, before the sheriff had come, Belle had been pottering around the front of the shop, dusting things, reading books, and taking care of the last of the things that were out of order. She had encouraged Rumplestiltskin to devote himself to more important things. "I can watch the shop," she had told him. "You work on the magic. Besides, I don't want to sleep alone any more than necessary." They had gone to the town line on the way into town this morning and he had plenty to work on, so he did little to resist her urging him behind the curtain.

"Sheriff, have you had any luck with finding Regina?" Belle asked.

"Nothing so far, but that's not why I'm here. Listen, Belle, your father came to see me..."

Belle blushed. "I can't believe he did that. I am so very sorry he wasted your time," she said sadly. "I don't know what to do about him."

"Belle, what..." Gold said, coming into the front of the shop. He had heard the sheriff's voice.

"Oh, Rumple, it's Papa again. He went to the sheriff about us," she said as she went straight into his arms.

The pawnbroker/sorcerer looked at the sheriff and listened as she told him what had happened. _There is still the garden pest option_ , the voice reminded him, helpfully. Rumplestiltskin was trying to have patience, if only for Belle's sake, but he didn't want her any more upset than she already had been.

"You need to watch your back, Gold. He's not likely to let this go," Emma warned him.

"What is another enemy more or less?" the sorcerer said casually, not wanting Belle any more distressed.

"Well, see if you can try not to get killed before we've found Regina and gotten that amulet safely locked away," the sheriff said as she turned away, leaving them to the private conversation that she could see was in the offing.

The next time the bell rang, it was even more of a surprise, or at least one of them was. Ruby Lucas was a friend, but she was dragging Ashley Boyd with her. Belle was slightly confused. She knew who the woman was, though they had not known one another in the old world. "Hello Ruby, and you are Ashley, correct? I don't believe we have met," Belle said politely. "What can I do for you today?" They could have just been shopping, though no one had been, probably guessing that they needed time to clean up. Besides, not a lot of people were curious enough to interfere with the prickly sorcerer so soon after the break in.

"I...good to meet you. It's...nothing, really," the blond said. "We can..."

"Miss Lucas, Miss Boyd," Rumplestiltskin greeted them as he stepped through the curtain. Ashley jumped a little and made a squeak.

"Mr Gold. Ruby...er..." The girl stuttered. "She said I should...our deal..."

"As I am certain that the sheriff told you," he interrupted, lacking the patience to deal with her babbling. _And yet you let her keep the baby,_ the voice reminded him. "I agreed to an amendment of our contract. You will get to keep the life that I made possible for you, as well as the child. In return, Sheriff Swan will pay your price in the form of a favour to me. It's simple, really. Which means you and I no longer have any business together, dearie."

"I...Thank you," she said breathlessly.

"Don't thank me, that was all the sheriff's doing. I would caution you, however, against any further deals. There are not many in town that have anything I want, certainly not that are willing to trade to save you," he said before excusing himself. Belle was perfectly safe with Ruby Lucas.

"See?" Ruby told her. "Ashley seemed to think something was going to happen."

"Ahhhh," Belle said, neutrally. There was a story here she didn't know. But she did know Rumplestiltskin, and she knew he never went back on a deal, not ever. It wasn't inclining her to like the girl. "The Dark One always keeps his word."

"But he wanted my baby," Ashley whined.

"You are the one that _made_ the deal," Ruby reminded her.

"I was desperate, I couldn't..." the girl said defensively. Clearly this was an argument of some standing, and Belle didn't want it in the shop, not with Rumple trying to work.

"Well it doesn't matter now, does it? It is over and done. Now, I really..." Ruby was, as always, quick on the uptake.

"Yeah, we'd best get going. Ashley's on at the Diner and I have to head to the Sheriff's office. I'll talk to you later, Belle," the wolf girl said, hustling the princess out with her, leaving Belle to her thoughts, which were none too charitable to the blond.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I'm slow. Visiting family, and having some keyboard troubles, but I think we are sorted. Please, do all the usual things. Comments, like chocolates, are always gratefully accepted.


	17. Risk vs Reward

"Mr. Booth," Belle greeted the man as he entered the shop. Him, she was expecting.

"It's August, or I think it is. Everyone is still trying..." the young man trailed off with a smile.

"To figure out who they are?" Belle suggested.

"Exactly. So..." He paused.

"Come into the back, Mr. Booth," Rumpletiltskin said, stepping from behind the curtain. He had been waiting for him, uncertain how he would take it.

"I was a little surprised to hear from you," the wooden man said. "I mean," he fumbled. "I just thought it would take longer. Unless...unless you can't fix me," August asked slowly, worry starting to bloom on his face.

"On the contrary, no need to jump to conclusions," the sorcerer stopped him. "What the Blue Fairy did, when she made her agreement with your father to send you through, she essentially placed a geas on you, an obligation to act in accordance with the agreement. The price of the magic was to care for Emma, a duty which you failed to..."

"I couldn't," he interupted. "I didn't...I knew nothing of this world, it was so..."

Rumplestiltskin held up one hand, interrupting him. He didn't want to feel sorry for him, to think about what he had gone through and how like Bae. He didn't want to compare them. What he had to tell him was hard enough. "That doesn't matter. All magic has a price, and unfortunately, the Blue Fairy is not one to explain that. However, that is neither here nor there. What I needed to tell you is this. I can remove it, which will reverse your transformation. However..." He held up his hand to keep the young man's excitement contained. "It is not without its risk."

"What risks? I don't care, I'll take it. Any chance is better than none. It's not like I have a lot of choices."

"Listen to me," he said sharply. The young man needed to know what he was getting into, not like before, not like Bae. "The risk is that you will be returned to the physical state you were in when your father and the Blue Fairy made their agreement," he explained. "Given time, I might find another option, but time is not your friend, not now. So you must decide."

"So I would be a kid again? Grow up all over again, but in this world?" August asked. Rumplestiltskin nodded. "And...would I remember?" he asked.

"I don't believe so, no. Remember, this is only a possibility, but you should know the risks."

August nodded abscently. "I need to think about this, maybe talk to my papa. After all, he would need to..." It was the sorcerer's turn to nod. It was a difficult situation.

"You probably have a few days, more or less," he agreed.

"Time to put my affairs in order."

 

"That went as well as could be expected," Rumplestiltskin said as he and Belle watched the door close behind August Booth.

"What did he decide?" she asked.

"That he needed to think on it," the sorcerer said, slipping his arms around her from behind and pulling her close. "He wants to talk to his father about it, too."

"That makes sense, it's a big decision. And do you think he will decide to take the risk?" Belle asked.

"I would imagine yes. In fact, in some ways, I think he would rather it does go wrong. His life was not necessarily happy, growing up an orphan here in this world, a world he didn't understand. He could forget it all, and grow up again, this time with a father who loves him," he said a touch wistfully.

"Don't worry, Rumple," Belle said, turning around to him. "You will figure it out, all of it. Then you and I will go and find Bae."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is short, but it kind of needs to stand on its own.


	18. Putting together the pieces

Rumplestiltskin and Belle were just sitting down to dinner when his phone rang. He rose and went into the other room, but was back in a few moments.

"He has decided," the sorcerer said. It didn't require any more explanations.

"When?" she asked.

"Two days. He needs to put his affairs in order. He will come to the shop after closing on Monday." Belle nodded. She wasn't really surprised, after all, she got the impression from what she had heard that growing up in this world as an orphan was not an easy thing. Not that it was easy in their world, but this world seemed to have a lot more rules about things.

 

Regina watched downtown Storybrooke from her hiding place. Henry, her son, was heading towards the Sheriff's office. She thought about stepping out of hiding, going to him, but she didn't. She wasn't certain if he would welcome her. Surely he still loved her, but now he was with _them_ , the ones who had taken everything away from her. But she would have her revenge, and then she would get her son back.

Instead, she crept away. Regina made her way through a series of side streets to come up behind her house. It had been left alone. No one had the guts to take over her home. She slipped into the back door and made her way upstairs. Already there was a thin layer of dust on everything. On the second floor, only Henry's room looked like it had been touched. She could see his favourite things had gone, books, toys that he didn't really play with but kept anyway, and most of his clothes, well, the ones he preferred anyway. All of them. Henry, the one good thing in her life was gone. Once again, Snow White and her family had taken her happiness away. Now there was nothing left. After a few minutes, she wiped her eyes, and then went to collect what she had come for. Regina was more determined than ever to get her revenge.

 

The door closed behind the third tenant of the day. Having heard that Belle was manning the counter had encouraged people to bring their rent rather than wait for Rumplestiltskin to make the rounds. Belle took the money and noted it in the ledger before going into the back.

"Just a moment, sweetheart," he said. There was something bubbling over a flame in a small, black cauldron. He watched for a moment before adding a drop of something into the pot and stirred carefully, whispering something under his breath. There was a *poof* and Rumplestiltskin looked closely before nodding with satisfaction and coming around towards her. "Now, sweetheart..."

"What are you doing?" Belle asked curiously.

"Ah, I am recreating that tracking spell that got turned over the other day. It will still take a couple of days, though."

"Do you think it will be ready in time to be any use?" she asked.

"I don't know," he said. "But it is better than nothing. Meanwhile, who was that in the shop?" He moved and slipped his arms around her.

"Another of your tenants, paying their rent."

"They seem to prefer giving their rent to you to facing the beast at their door," he said with a lopsided grin.

"You're no beast," she told him. He leaned in for a kiss. It was so easy to distract both of them from everything else when they were together. But before he could continue with his plans, the shop door opened and the bell tinkled.

"Saved by the bell," he whispered.

"Not saved, I don't want to be saved. Just postponed 'til later tonight," Belle said, putting a finger to his lips.

"Hey Gold, you here?" the sheriff called out from beyond the curtain. "And please, if you are both back there, be wearing all of your clothes."

"Sheriff, what can we do for you?" Gold said as the two of them stepped together from behind the curtain. There was a knowing smirk on his face that made her really wish she hadn't said the last part out loud.

"I...um...I just came by to see if you had any luck figuring out what was missing and what it could be used for. You _are_ sure that there are things missing, right?" Emma asked.

"Suffice it to say, I have plenty of reason to believe that some of my ingredients are definitely missing. She was smart, she didn't take all of anything, and threw the rest on the floor to make it look like vandalism. It is possible she was just restocking her own supplies, preparing some kind of nasty surprise. But I think she has something very specific in mind, a disguise spell."

"Disguise as in...shit, you are telling me she is going to change herself into someone else? She could be anyone, Snow, Ruby...Even David. Great."

"Now, now, sheriff, there _is_ good news," he told her.

"You couldn't lead with that?" she snapped back, but the pawnbroker just smiled in that way that made her want to punch him in the face.

"First, she can't 'be' anyone. A spell that complicated is beyond her. I never taught her anything more advanced along those lines. She wasn't the best student in all the realms. She can change her appearance to blend in. The other good news is that it will take her a day or so to brew it, if she wants to do it right. Even if she got down to it immediately after she broke in here, it would still take at least another day."

"So we have a little time, that's something I guess. So I just warn everyone who might be a target to avoid strangers. I don't suppose you could do some..." Emma waved her hand vaguely. She really didn't want to say it, actually, she didn't want to admit it was real.

"Magic? Well, now that you mention it, I, too have been working on something, a tracking spell. It will also take time, though, sheriff, so if I were you, I would watch my back, and your boy's. I will most certainly be doing the same."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for keeping up with the story. Sorry I haven't been updating as often as I would like, but I've been traveling, and now, I'm sick. But I hope to be back on track soon. Meanwhile, you know what to do.


	19. Just an ordinary day in Storybrooke

"Come on, love," Rumplestiltskin called. "We don't want to be late." He had promised Belle breakfast at Granny's. They usually had their first meal at home, but Belle was trying to convince him to be more social. While he saw it as a plan doomed to failure, his darling had not mastered pancakes, in fact, she hadn't had them, and was anxious to try.

So it was on a Saturday morning before the shop opened for the day, that the couple made their way to the diner. The spring weather was cool and clear, and the two of them walked down from the house, anxious to enjoy the weather. "It's a beautiful day," Belle said, delighted, as she looked down towards the harbour and the sun.

"Any day with you in it, is beautiful," he told her. To be honest he wasn't paying much attention. The tracking spell would be ready soon enough. Tomorrow he would conclude his business with Mr. Booth and find out where his son was. Then he could complete his mission and reunite with his son. Even if Bae hated him, at least he would know his boy was safe. All he needed to do now, was make sure whatever it was that Regina was up to, it didn't interfere with his plans. But for now, he was going to enjoy breakfast with Belle.

The diner was about half full when the two of them walked in. For a moment, there was silence, then everyone turned their attention back to their breakfasts. Just because he seemed to be less likely to do anything with the lady by his side, didn't mean anyone was going to risk it.

The sorcerer ushered Belle solicitously towards a booth towards the back of the restaurant. Moments later, a teenager came and brought cups and water. "Hello, Sara," the sorcerer greeted her. The girl smiled shyly and stammered a greeting to the two of them as Belle was introduced, then she rushed away.

"Who is she?" Belle asked.

"A girl I did a deal with back in the old world," he told her. "She actually has a good life here."

 

After breakfast, they strolled past the library on the way to the shop. "The library really should be open," Belle said. "Especially in this world, where everyone can read, and of course there are the schoolchildren."

"Would you like that, to open the library?" Rumplestiltskin asked. "Perhaps, when things are safer I could..."

"I would love that," she said, throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him right in the middle of Main Street. "Not that I don't love coming to work with you, I do. I'm not even certain I'm ready to be away from you for even part of the day, yet."

"You will tire of me soon enough," Rumplestiltskin said, but he smiled as she protested, and escorted her across the street, ignoring the looks from the good citizens of Storybrooke at their little public display of affection. Still, in one window, a curtain twitched and was yanked closed violently.

 

It turned out to be a quiet day in the shop. Emma Swan did show up to check on the tracking spell and to see if the sorcerer had any idea of where Regina was hiding, but that was not particularly unusual either. The sheriff had figured out that the sorcerer was a source of information, but Rumplestiltskin was not particularly interested. He had more than enough to work on. "Sheriff, if she hasn't been at her house...I'm not sure what to say. Sorcerers like their secrets, and Regina and I have not exactly been chummy."

After she left, and the shop was closed at midday, the two of them started back to the house. "I can cook us a nice dinner," Belle suggested.

"Hello, you must be Belle," Princess Snow White said as she approached them. Rumplestiltskin grimaced. Not that he particularly disliked the princess, not that he particularly _liked_ her either. She was certainly not as useless as some royal princesses he knew. Still, it was good for Belle to meet people. More than just about anything, he wanted her to be happy.

"I am, yes, and you are Snow White," Belle replied. After a few minutes (or from Rumplestiltskin' perspective, a few hours), of small talk, David collected his princess, and they continued their walk towards home.

"Now we are finally alone," Rumplestiltskin said as the kitchen door closed behind them. As he pulled her into his embrace and leaned in for a kiss, the front door bell rang. The sorcerer cursed under his breath. "This is starting to become a habit. Wait here, love. I will take care of this." He turned and went to the front of the house. Whoever it was would pay for interrupting his time with his lady. If this wasn't related to Regina or some other disaster, whoever it was, was going to pay. He opened the door.

"I am Sir Gaston, I have come..."

"Yes, yes, we've done all this before. It didn't end particularly well for you the last time, as I recall," the sorcerer said, looking up at the former knight before him. "Now, Belle was not particularly happy when she found out how you spent most of her stay at the Dark Castle, but I think she would make an exception."

"I have come here to fight you for my lady..."

"That would be _my_ lady," Rumplestiltskin growled back. "Now, I can give you a choice.  Would you care to spend your life as a flower, or would you prefer a snail?"

"Rumple, what..." Belle said, coming into the foyer. "Gaston, what..."

"Belle, I have come to rescue you," Gaston said.

"You...I thought I made myself clear before. I don't want to be rescued," she growled at him, exasperated. "If you don't leave right now, I am not even going to try to prevent Rumple turning you into whatever it is he wants to turn you into."

"Flower or garden pest," the sorcerer asked.


	20. Finding Regina

"Well, that was fun," Rumplestiltskin said, turning to face his beloved now that the door was closed on the sight of the rapidly fleeing former knight. Sometimes a threat was just as good, less work as well.

"Rumple, you wouldn't really have turned him into anything, would you?" Belle asked.

"Probably not. It requires a great deal more magic than I care to expend, especially with the potential danger that Regina poses. But I was serious about that being my last warning," he told her. "I'm absolutely serious about that. If either of them make another attempt to take you away from me, I won't be so merciful. I have held off only out of respect for your wishes, but sweetheart, I am not a patient mo...man."

"I'm sure they have gotten the message. You certainly scared Gaston," she said, though she wasn't certain who she was trying to convince. She would really like to believe that it was over, but she knew her father, he was extremely stubborn, it was a trait she had gotten from him. As to Gaston, if brains were currency, he'd not have enough for a coffee at Granny's. But rather than worry about that, she gave Rumple a kiss. "Why don't you go work for a little while and let me do some cooking. Then..."

"I was hoping that we could..." he interrupted, but she put a finger to his lips.

"Let us both get the things we need to do finished. Then we will have all evening," Belle promised with a smile that always made his black heart skip a beat.

"My practical darling," he whispered.

"It keeps you from getting too distracted by your work." After a kiss, he reluctantly broke away from her. She was right, of course, he was entirely too prone to getting absorbed in his research, especially with the very important project, figuring out how to get past the town line without losing his memory. He had always been that way, but Belle gave him something worth putting it aside for.

 

Sunday, the shop was not open, or not unless he had specific business. This Sunday though, he did. Personally, Rumplestiltskin would have preferred to handle everything on his own. He disliked other people, especially other people involved in his business. However, Belle had talked him into letting the sheriff know what he was up to. Her reasoning was sound. Emma Swan was one of the most likely victims. Actually, the sorcerer calculated that the odds were slightly in favour of the sheriff at the top of the victim list, since getting rid of her would not only break Snow White's heart, but would remove the only other contender for Henry's affection. After her of course, David, then Snow herself, though he actually doubted she would go after the princess. In general, Regina preferred Snow miserable, especially if she could be close to observe and gloat. It wasn't one of his former apprentice's more endearing traits.

After the royal family, Belle was probably the next highest on her list, though the odds fell dramatically. Still, he would rather keep Belle close to him. She was not necessarily Regina's target of choice, but the sorceress wouldn't hesitate if the opportunity presented itself. Of course, while he was himself, on the list of those she wanted revenge against, the chances of her trying either the spell or the talisman against him were ludicrously small, probably because the chances of either working against him were smaller and she knew it. Regina might be angry, and she could hold a grudge longer than anyone he'd ever known in three hundred plus years (well, except possibly himself, he hadn't exactly forgiven the Blue Fairy), but she was neither mad, nor stupid.

It was with all this in mind that he went to meet Emma Swan at the pawnshop on Sunday afternoon. Despite his desire to leave her at home with Dove as an armed guard, Belle had persuaded (threatened to follow on her own, actually), him into bringing her along.

"The safest place for me is beside you," she said, and honestly, he had no answer for that. She was right.

They were the first to arrive.  Unsurprinsing, since Rumplestiltskin still had preparations to make. He unlocked the back door and sent Belle through to open the front while he checked on things.

"So, are we ready to do this, whatever this is?" the sheriff said as she followed Belle into the back room.

"Patience, Sheriff, it will only be a couple minutes more," he told her. "Magic cannot be rushed."

"What is all of this anyway?" she asked, looking at the things scattered across the table. It looked to her like the witch's cottage from a bad movie and her high school chem lab had a love child, though it didn't smell as bad as the lab.

"There are different kinds of magic, Sheriff Swan, just as there are different ways of using it. Some, like yourself, are born with the ability to use it..."

"Who, me?" she asked, startled. "You mean that Savior thing, because that..."

"Yes, you. You are the child of True Love. Which means you are capable of magic. However, magic in this world in not abundant and it's unpredictable and..."

"I didn't come here for a lecture on all this magic stuff," the sheriff said, with a vaguely uneasy wave of her hand.

"Well that is too bad. It's not as if you have anything better to do while we wait. Now, all of this, spells, potions, amulets, they are a way of making the most of the limited magic of this world. They are also useful for those who can't make their own magic. In the old world, they were a kind of magical shortcut, you might say. However, that is not what you are here for. This..." he said, as he dropped something into the smoking pot. There was a *poof* of smoke. "Now, we can begin the hunt." His tone did not make the sheriff any happier. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will say again, sorry for the short and late updates. I'm still fighting this crud. But I hope you enjoy this little scene. Please, leave a comment in the little box.


	21. What lies in wait

Snow White stood waiting for David outside Granny's. She was glad to have him back again and to be reunited with Emma, but it wasn't as easy as she had imagined. Her daughter was all grown up with a son of her own, and Snow had missed it. She had missed raising her daughter and now she didn't know how to connect with her. Now, with the threat of Regina hanging over their heads again (still), Snow was trying to keep a positive attitude, but she was worried. Actually, she worried all the time, worried about the years they had lost, worried about whether Emma would ever accept her, or forgive her. She couldn't even understand what her daughter had been through.

For Snow, for part of her at least, Emma was still that baby that they had sent to safety. David kept telling her to be patient. He thought that it would be better to hang back, let Emma get used to the idea of having parents, at all. "She'll come around, Snow. You've got to give her time is all."

Across the street, the Evil Queen watched. She was waiting for just the right opportunity. If they thought they had seen the last of her, they would learn. Thanks to Rumplestiltskin, she had the means to exact her perfect revenge. Now, she just needed the right time, preferably before the imp came up for air. Regina shuddered. The thought of Rumplestiltskin and his little maid was just...revolting.

Meanwhile, she had her revenge. She would deal with the imp later. But now, she waited. Snow White wasn't her first choice, actually, but Regina was running out of time, and Emma Swan had been impossible to get alone. She was always either with the wolf-girl, at home with her parents, or with Henry. As much as she wanted to be rid of that pesky Savior, she wouldn't do that in front of Henry. It was going to be hard enough on him with Emma was gone, but he would get over it, in time.

Besides, maybe she would get lucky. She wasn't completely familiar with the Wraith, the lore was sketchy at best. Maybe it would take both of them.

 

Gold lifted something that looked like a crystal out of the cauldron. "All right, so show me how this works," the sheriff said. "Then I can take it..."

"I think now," the sorcerer said. "It's _my_ shop she broke into and _my_ property she stole that needs to be recovered."

"It's my job to uphold the law, Gold."

"And you really think you can take on Regina on you own, do you?" He gave her his best disbelieving smirk.

"Both of you, stop it," Belle said sharply. "Sheriff Swan, you need Rumple, it's this magic that will find Regina and you need his help to deal with her magic." The pawnbroker smiled. "And you," Belle rounded on her partner, wiping the look from his face. "The sheriff is only doing her job. Let her do it." Emma didn't know how to respond, but Gold looked at his beloved for a moment as if he was going to object, but thought the better of it. She wondered if the lady was capable of putting the sorcerer on the couch.

"So, how does this work?" Emma Swan asked. Work. That was the ticket.

Rumplestiltskin smiled. "It's simple, first we need a map."

 

"Hey Grandma," Henry called, running towards her from where he had been walking with Paige, or Grace, and Jefferson, her reclusive father. The realm traveler had clearly gotten _his_ happy ending. It looked like he was sane as well, at least for the moment. Regina grimaced from her hiding place and shrank back into the shadows to observe. One thing was for certain, she would not allow her son to hang out with the likes of the Hatter. Once she had him back, she would put a stop to that.

"Henry," Snow said, giving him a hug. "What are you doing here? Mr...er...Jefferson," she said, reaching to shake his hand a little awkwardly.

"Your Highness," he said, with a hint of a bow. "I'm walking my daughter and Henry to her adopted parents for dinner. We are still..."

"My papa and my adopted parents are trying to work something out," Grace said. "He's still..."

"Adjusting," Jefferson said. "Her evilness had a unique way with family organisation,"

"Something like that," the Princess agreed. "It will take time." She thought about her own dynamic. "As long as it's okay with your mother."

"She knows," Henry reassured her. "She's busy working on something and doesn't want me alone. Plus she said you and Grandpa need time together." Snow blushed as with a final hug, he turned to join Grace. The Hatter nodded his farewell and followed.

 

"So you see," Gold said, holding the crystal over the map. He had attached it to a piece of braided gold cord and let it swing free over the map. Slowly, the crystal seemed to tug one direction and settle. "Well, well, she is here in town, near the sheriff's office it looks like. You have someone on duty, don't you, dearie? Not that I care what happens to Nottingham, but it's bad form for a prisoner to die in custody. She's never had patience with failures, unless they were her own."

"Ruby's there," Emma told him.

"Good, while Regina can change her appearance, she cannot change her smell. Not that I think it's the jail she is targeting. Time to go."

 

Emma Swan followed Gold and his magical...whatever it was. After the map, he had done...something, and now they were moving through town. She didn't like it, but she didn't have a lot of choice. It wasn't as if she'd had any luck finding Regina on her own and now they had a location and they were closing in. Besides, while Emma didn't trust Gold, she trusted Regina even less.

Next to her, Belle French walked quietly. The brunette was watching the sorcerer too, but unlike Emma, she was watching him with...well, love. Emma couldn't begin to understand it. The whole 'true love' thing was not something she had ever believed in, at least, not before. But now, Belle French looked at Gold the same way that Mary Margaret and David (her mother and father, an idea she was not sure she would ever be able to fully accept), looked at one another.

Emma tried not to wonder if anyone would ever feel that way about her. She thought...but that didn't matter at the moment. Now she needed to focus on finding Regina and protecting everyone.

"I thought you had told our dear Princess to be careful," Gold said, nodding to where Snow White was standing on the sidewalk.

"I did," Emma said. "But I think she's pretty safe in public like that."

"Do you, dearie?" he asked, pointing as someone stepped from the alley.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, sorry that I didn't get this up sooner. Unfortunately, I've been sick, and not getting a lot of writing done. I hate it when that happens. So, please, read, comment, all those good things. It keeps the muse inspired.


	22. The call of Darkness

"That's not..." Emma started to say, but even as she did, she knew, though she had no idea how. Then she was running without conscious thought, out onto the sidewalk and down the street towards Mary Margaret. Belle moved to follow, but Rumplestiltskin grabbed her arm and held her back.

"Rumple, we have to..." she started, turning towards him.

"No, Belle, my first concern is and always will be your safety," the sorcerer told her. "You stay here." He turned and started down the street at a surprisingly fast pace for a man with a cane.

"Mary Margaret," Emma shouted. Both women turned, but where the princess looked confused, the other woman sped her step and so did the sheriff. "Don't. It's..." The woman grabbed her arm, just as Emma reached for her. In that moment, two things happened. The woman that was, and wasn't Regina turned away from Mary Margaret and swung around grabbing Emma, pushing the thing concealed in her hand into the flesh just above her tee shirt, pressing hard.

"Stop her, it's Regina," Gold shouted as David, just coming from the diner, ran towards the confrontation. Emma struggled with her, and Mary Margaret grabbed at Regina from behind.

"Ahhhh," Emma cried out in pain as the sigil burned against her skin.

"It's too late," Regina growled, as she released the sheriff, trying to get Snow White from around her neck. "You've been marked. The wraith is coming for you, and nothing can stop it," she spat as the prince grabbed her and twisted her arm behind her back.

Gold reached out and grabbed the talisman from her with a gloved hand. "I believe that this is mine," he said, plucking it from her as she struggled against the restraining hands. Then, with a wave, he immobilized the Evil Queen, just for good measure. Let them deal with her now. Emma was holding her hand to the burn below her collarbone. With the other hand, she freed a pair of handcuffs and tossed them to David. Several other people had come out of the diner at the sound of the disturbance.

"What did she do to me?" Emma asked, trying to get a good look at the mark, the symbol that appeared to be burned into her flesh.

"I did tell you to be careful, Sheriff," Gold said.

"Not that there is anything you can do about it now," Regina cackled.

"Come on, everyone back inside. Let us take care of this," David ordered. Granny, who had spilled out with the rest, hustled everyone back inside. Gawkers were _not_ what they needed at the moment.

"What does she mean, what's going to happen to me?" Emma asked.

"Where you not listening when I explained this all to you before?" Gold asked, his tone thick with impatience. She had been listening when Gold explained it the first time, but in a very impersonal way. He hadn't actually gone into a lot of detail. "The talisman is used to mark the target for the wraith. It is not human and nothing can placate it. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to get this back to the shop and secured." Belle had come to join the small group, never one to stay behind regardless of what her love said, but now the sorcerer reached for her arm.

"What am I supposed to do now?" Emma asked him.

"Put your affairs in order?" he suggested, turning away from them to escort Belle back to the shop.

"Gold, you can't just..." Emma shouted after him.

"Please, Rumplestiltskin, there must be something you can do," Snow White pleaded. "I have just gotten my daughter back, I can't lose her again."

"Why on earth would I help you?" he asked. "What is in it for me?" He turned away again. They had gotten a few steps down the street, just far enough not to be heard, when Belle turned to him.

"Rumple," she said, quietly, caressing his arm. "Think of what..."

"I owe them nothing," he growled just as quietly, not willing to argue with his lady on a public street. "Less than. Why should I?"

"Because it's the right thing to do?" she asked.

"Since when have I cared about doing the right thing? I told you, my love. I will always be the monster in the story."

"Don't call yourself that. You don't have to be the monster. Beyond that, how about doing it because it will ruin Regina's revenge? And of course, they will owe you a favour."

He sighed. She had a point. "I don't know that it can be stopped, or that anything can be done," he said loud enough to be heard. "But, I suppose we can see. Bring her along, perhaps if nothing else, we can try throwing her to the creature." A wind began to rise, and clouds gathered in the clear evening sky. "And we had best hurry." The princess started to thank him, but one look at his face and she subsided. There would be time later, if he succeeded.

The wind continued to rise as the strange group made their way back to the Pawnshop. The sorcerer went first, Belle at his side. The two of them were having a quiet but intense discussion that Emma suspected had to do with his desire to send her home to safety. She should know, she was having the same disagreement with her...parents. As they dragged the almost incapacitated prisoner towards the shop. Regina looked pale, but was, at the moment, quiet. However much she might have wanted her revenge, being at ground zero had clearly not been part of her plan.

"Let me go," the Evil Queen growled. She could barely move, bound as she was by both the handcuffs and Rumplestiltskin's Magic.

"Shut it," Emma told her.

Gold unlocked the back door and went straight into the shop, leaving the rest to come as they would. "Don't make yourselves at home," the sorcerer said. He moved through the curtain into the shop, leaving them behind. "I will be with you in a moment." Alone in the front of the shop, he went to his private safe and secured the talisman before rejoining them. Best to get is safely away before it caused any more trouble.

"So, what now?" Emma Swan asked. "Can you get this thing off me or..."

"More likely, or. The wraith is a creature of magic. It is called to the mark."

"And just what does it do when it finds it?"

"Let us just say, you will want to avoid finding out." He turned and pulled something off the shelf, trying to formulate a plan. Belle was right, besides spoiling Regina's plan, and getting some of his own back for her little break in, it was always good to have the Prince and Princess in his debt, which they would be. Besides, as much as he would never admit it, he understood more about losing a child than they knew. For that reason alone, he would at least try to figure something out.

 

They had finished up a quick dinner, when Henry noticed the wind was picking up. "Looks like it's going to storm," he said. "I should probably be getting home."

"Best hurry. I'll drive you," Grace's adopted father said. "I'm going to take Pa...I mean Grace, back to her father's house. I can drop you on the way. Don't want to be out if the weather is going to get bad."

Henry agreed. In general, he wasn't that concerned. It wasn't like anything ever happened in Storybrooke, or at least it hadn't since the curse had broken and his mother had gone into hiding. He missed her, even though she had tried to put a curse on his other mother. He had been pretty mad at her, but she was still his mom, and he didn't think she would try to hurt him. But now, something was happening in town, he could feel it, and the loft was right in the middle of town. If he was going to find out what it was, he needed to get back home.

 

"Can't you just...I don't know, magic it off?" Emma Swan asked.

"That depends, dearie, we could perhaps move it to say, your arm, and then remove the arm, but I doubt you would care for that option," he snapped. Belle put a gentle hand on his arm. She was well aware of the fact that he didn't want to help. Actually, she had a sneaking suspicion that he liked the Savior more than he would ever admit, or at the very least admired her spirit.

"Yeah, not sounding like an option," the sheriff agreed with a grimace. She had no idea whether he was joking or not, and didn't really want to know.

"Are you sure? I would be glad to put the arm back afterward," he offered with a malicious laugh. "Or a leg? No? Then let me **think**."

"Could you move it to something else, another creature or, I don't know, an object?" the prince asked desperately.

"No. The mark is just a sort of beacon. It's the soul the wraith wants. Tell me something, your majesty," the sorcerer turned to Regina, who had mostly stopped fighting. "What did you use to call the wraith and keep it from swallowing you up? The talisman would only protect you so far. The wraith does not care to be controlled." He looked closely at her, but she clamped her mouth shut. Rumplestiltskin reached out and laid a hand on her temple. It would have looked almost like an affectionate gesture were it not for the looks on both of their faces. "Your magic, you used most of your magic to call and contain it. Burnt yourself nearly out. What have I always told you about playing with things that you don't understand?" He waved a hand and the magical binding fell away, though she was still handcuffed.

"Oh, and you could?" she spat.

"I am the Dark One, dearie. There is no comparison. Why don't we put the mark on you and throw you to the creature. Might be enough for it, at least for a time." Regina turned pale at his smile and looked at the others. The sorcerer would have no qualms at all about it, she knew that. She had always known taking his little maid was a calculated risk, and one that would shatter their truce. Now, she could only pray that the woman's desire to reform the imp was stronger than her need for revenge, actually all of them. Her stepdaughter was known for her mercy, but not when her own child was at stake. Then there was the sheriff herself. Regina knew what her own answer would be if it was her. But it wasn't her, and they were different.

"No." Emma Swan said with finality.

"Pity," Rumplestiltskin muttered. "It is possible, only possible mind, that we could draw it into a trap..." From the look on his face, he was thinking out loud, not talking to anyone in particular. Outside the wind had risen higher, and lightning could be heard in the distance.

"I hate to point out the obvious," David said, looking though the window. "But we are running out of time."

"I'll need room, a large open space. I can't do it here," the sorcerer snapped, going to one of the shelves and gathering a few things.

"Town hall?" Snow suggested. "It's open, there's nothing but some chairs and tables. Maybe..."

"Town hall it is," Gold snapped, dropping the things he had gathered in a leather satchel. "Belle, you..."

"Are coming with you," she said. "We don't have the time to argue." He looked like he was willing to make the time, but the door blew open, banging into the wall, missing the prince by inches, and bringing a fall of leaves and debris to join the papers that had taken flight around the room.

"We need to hurry then," he snapped, grabbing the satchel. "Bring her," he pointed at Regina. "Not only do we not have the time to lock her up, but she may still be useful." He hadn't completely rejected the idea of throwing her to the creature. After all, he had considered it before. In fact, it was only Belle's intervention that had prevented him. The talisman called to his own darkness. It gave him much more control over it than Regina could ever hope to have. _Let her go,_ the voice in the back of his mind whispered. _What is the Savior or any of them to you?_  The sorcerer looked around him, the prince and princess, their daughter, Regina.  No, they didn't matter to him particularly, but Belle mattered, and she cared.  He shoved the creature back into the dark corner of his mind. He was through listening to it, for the most part. For Belle.


	23. Wraith

Henry had just gotten home, the wind whipping around him in a frenzy. Almost no one was on the street. Almost. He looked a second time and saw the door to the pawnshop open. Out of it came his Mom and his grandfather, leading someone in handcuffs. Henry started to call out to them, but they were followed by his grandmother, Mr. Gold, and Belle. Gold had a satchel over his arm and seemed to be having an urgent conversation or argument with Belle. Something was _definitely_ going on.

The young man shrank back into the shadows of the doorway as they hurried past on the other side of the street. After all, they hadn't told him he _couldn't_ follow them. It was generally easier to get out of trouble for doing things if he hadn't been specifically told not to. He hoisted his backpack, and snuck down Main Street, following behind them.

 

"Okay, what do we do?" David said as they burst into the large room that was used for city council meetings, elections and the odd Storybrooke AmDram Society production.

"What you do is stay out of my way," the sorcerer snapped, going through the wooden barricade. "Actually, secure the doors and keep a watch. The rest of you, find something to make some torches of."

"Will they help?" Snow White asked as she hurried to where she knew the supply closet was.

"They won't hurt," he said, already taking the contents from the satchel. "Fire will not kill the wraith," he continued seriously. "But, like all dark things, it's not keen on light either. At the very least, it will slow it down, perhaps allow us to...herd it somewhat. Miss Swan, as you are the creatures actual target, I would suggest that you get as far from the door as possible. If it just plucks you up, it makes the whole exercise vastly irrelevant." The sheriff started to guide her reluctant prisoner through the barrier and across to the far side of where the sorcerer was doing whatever it was sorcerers do. "Oh, you can leave Regina."

"Does having called it give her some special kind of immunity?" Emma asked.

"No, not really. The truth is, she's barely strong enough to have called it in the first place. If it can't get to you, it will take her as a consolation. The Wraith dislikes being under anyone's control."

"What about you?" she asked.

"Ah, well, I'm the Dark One after all, besides, I've a couple hundred years experience." While he was speaking, Gold had pulled something from the bag and was busy pouring a white powder from it onto the floor in a circle. Once he finished that, he began creating symbols inside, muttering soemthing under his breath. Belle had gone to help Snow, and as long as she was far from the doors and windows, Rumplestiltskin at least felt she was safe, or as safe as she could be not secured behind the wards of the shop, or better yet, the house. He knew his protective streak was going to cause them some problems, but that was for later, as much later as he could possibly make it.

David was trying to secure the doors against the rising storm when he saw the figure. He wasn't exactly sure what he was seeing. It was grey, and sort of vaguely human shaped, except that it was hovering about the ground and heading towards the Town Hall, undisturbed by the wind and the storm. Then he saw something else that made his heart stutter. Henry. To give the boy credit, he took one look at the thing and ran for David.

"Come on, Henry, quickly," David shouted, but the wind seemed to rip the words away from him. Fortunately, his grandson didn't need the encouragement. He flew through the door and David slammed it closed, and shot the bolt, shoving the boy in front of him into the hall, and closing that door as well, looking for something stronger than the flimsy interior lock.

"Here," Snow threw him a dust mop, and he slid it through the handles.

"Henry, what are you doing here?" Both Emma and Regina exclaimed at almost the same moment.

"Yeah, kid, what..." David added.

"I was just walking and..." he started, hoping to minimize the grounding that he saw coming. On the other hand, with that thing out there, it might not matter.

"Later," Rumplestiltskin growled. He was still working on the thing on the floor.

"Henry, you go over with Belle," Emma told him. If she knew nothing else, she knew that Gold would protect Belle at all costs, and if Henry was with her, that was the safest place he could possibly be, at least for values of safe that involved being in the path of a non human monster. Later, if there was a later, they were going to have a long talk about the rules.

There was a bang, and a rushing sound from outside, and something hit the inner doors, hard. The doors shuddered. Snow White handed her improvised torches to David, and, after a bit of wrangling, Emma. "Matches, ahh, we don't have any matches..." Before she could say another word, the torches blazed to life. She turned but the sorcerer was back at his work.

There was another thud against the doors. "They aren't going to hold much longer," the prince said. "Gold, how much time..."

"Longer, if you keep interrupting me," he said.

"Rumple, let me help," Regina piped up.

"What in the seven realms makes you think I would trust you, dearie? Not that you have the magic for it anyway, but."

"For my son," she said. "I may not be able to stop it, but I can help finish the trap."

He thought about it for only a moment. Then with a wave of his hand, the cuffs fell away. "Get the dragon's blood," he ordered. "Belle, take Henry up onto the stage. If it breaks through, get him out the back door."

"I'm not leaving you Rumple," she shouted as the noise form outside rose higher.

"And I'm not leaving my mom, either of my moms," Henry agreed. But the sorcerer had turned back to Regina and was shouting instructions as they worked together.

The doors smashed open, one of them just catching Snow White, causing her to stumble back, barely catching herself. David waved his torch at it, shouting. "Miss Swan, fall back," Gold snapped. "It wants you and you are serving yourself up." He spared a glance for Regina, not taking his eyes fully off the creature. His student nodded once. She now knew how to finish, what she could not do was take on the wraith.

Emma drew back, still holding her torch. Snow and Charming were both holding their ground, for the moment, but that was not going to last. The sorcerer stepped forward, and drew himself up to his full, though not particularly considerable height. "Leave this place, I command you!" he said, holding a long knife that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere.

The sheriff had backed away towards Regina. "The dagger," the sorceress gasped.

"Regina, no," Belle shouted, but the Evil Queen wrenched her eyes away from him, and back to finishing what she had been doing.

As they looked on, the creature moved closer, almost as if it was communicating with the sorcerer. "Leave her," Rumplestiltskin shouted. David waved his torch talismanicaly, but was blown back, the torch failing as he fell, as if the creature was swatting a gnat.

The sorcerer was backing up as well, though very slowly. "Leave her and be gone, she is not for you," he shouted, magic flaring between them.

The wind blew harder. Snow White was blown into the barricade and fell over it. "Finished," Regina shouted, backing away herself, towards where Henry was clinging to Belle. He was brave, and even as the evil queen reached him, she knew he would never leave his other mother behind. Regina couldn't leave, not while she son was in danger.

"You have no place in this world!" Rumplestiltskin shouted. The figure did not respond, or if it did, only the sorcerer knew. He was backing his way towards the circle on the floor, magic sparking from his fingers, trying to throw the creature off.

The wind howled. Everything and everyone was blown around like nothing. David was trying to rise. Belle was thrown backwards, losing her grip on Henry, and Emma and Regina were against the stage, trying to get to their respective feet.

"Mom," Henry cried, gaining his feet and running toward them. Even as they watched, a hole opened just inside the barricade, a swirling vortex of...well Rumplestiltskin probably knew, but Emma hadn't a clue. She tried to push Regina back, but the vortex was spinning faster, the the wind was drawing them towards it. Rumplestiltskin fell to the floor, and David grabbed for him, managing to get a grip on the back of his coat. Belle ran to join him, lending a hand to help pull her love free.

Snow White was making her way carefully around the outskirts of the room, trying to reach where her grandson and daughter were trying desperately to pull Regina up. "Don't let go," Emma shouted.

"Not likely," the other woman said. "Hurry, I'm not sure how much longer I can..." There was a whoosh, and the vortex disappeared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for those of you who are still reading this story. Yes, it's going a good bit differently than the original. The question is, who got pulled through the portal into the Enchanted Forest and what are they going to do about it? Enjoy, and do all of those happy things like comment. I will admit, I'm not 100% happy with this scene, but we will see.


	24. Brave New World

"Henry?" Emma Swan tried to shout as consciousness returned, but it came out more like a croak. She opened her eyes and looked around, taking stock. She was laying on the ground under a tree, so probably not dead then. Nearby lay Regina. _Unless God's got a pretty warped since of humour, definitely not heaven_ , she thought.

"Mom," Henry called out. He pulled himself off the ground and ran to where Emma was.

"I'm all right, Kiddo," she said hugging him carefully. Having reassured himself that Emma was all right, he ran to Regina.

"Ohhhhh," the Evil Queen groaned. "What happened?"

"Your guess is as good as mine, probably better. Let's start with something simpler though. What I want to know right now is, _where_ are we?"

Regina sat up, and hugged Henry close, trying not to let herself be completely horrified by the fact that he had been in danger, and that, whether she wanted to or not, she was the cause for that danger. At least he was with them and safe, or as safe as he could be when they weren't sure where they were. There would be time to make it up to him, to maybe convince him to forgive her. Now he was acting on fear, but he would probably be angry soon enough. For now, he was alive and that was enough. She took a deep breath and looked around, feeling her magic returning, acting positively normal. "I'm not entirely sure, but I think we are back home," Regina said in surprise.

"Home?" Emma asked sharply. "Home as in the Enchanted Forest Home?"

"Cool," Henry added.

 

"Is everyone all right? What happened?" David asked, looking around the room.

"Emma, Henry," Snow cried out. "Where are they?" she shouted as they took stock of themselves and the room around them. Belle was still clinging to Rumplestiltskin as if she was afraid that he would disappear. Considering their recent experience, it wasn't out of the realm of possibility. After a moment though, the sorcerer began to sit up. David offered him a hand, and Belle rose with him, clearly still frightened. He just nodded and accepted the hand.

"Well? Where is my daughter??" Snow White screeched. The princess was almost hysterical, holding on just barely. The prince pulled her close and tried to calm her, but she was only so willing to be calmed.

"Ah, that is a question I cannot answer," the sorcerer replied. "Or at least I cannot tell you with any degree of certainty."

The Prince was good enough to know that Rumplestiltskin was not telling them all. Not, of course, that the man ever told _anyone_ everything. Well, except possibly the lady clinging to him right now in the same way that Snow was clinging to him. The hard part was getting him to share. David wasn't sure he was the right person to ask either. Rumplestiltskin and he had always had a complicated relationship at the best of times. This was definitely _not_ the best of times. But despite that unfortunate imprisonment episode, the sorcerer did not seem particularly angry at him, at the moment. David was also feeling horribly guilty and he was absolutely certain that Snow was feeling as bad or worse. They had been too casual, too cocky, to believe that they needed to be as careful as Emma had suggested. Certainly they hadn't been expecting the attack that had come. Maybe they had adapted to this world too well, that magical attacks seemed remote enough not to worry about. Still, he held his trembling wife and tried to decide how to proceed. "What can you tell us?" he asked. "Are they...are Emma and Henry still alive?"

"I cannot say for certain," the sorcerer said carefully. He was a master of words and word games, and was almost always careful. "But," he added. "I have every reason to believe that they are alive. The good news, dearie, is that, had the Wraith succeeded, it would not have been so very dramatic."

"So what happened then?" Snow asked, wiping her eyes and trying to focus.

"That is a very good question. I don't have an answer though, not yet."

"But you have to. It was your talisman. If you..."

"Are you placing the blame on me?" Rumplestiltskin asked, his voice dropping dangerously. "Because it seems to me that you were warned about the danger, and you..." Snow White burst into a fresh bout of tears and Belle gave him a look of mild disapproval, but he was uninclined to let that go. He certainly wasn't going to take the blame. He'd warned them. Certainly, knowing the danger, he had not let Belle out of his sight for a moment since the break in. Not that he had let her particularly far before that, but...

"She didn't mean to imply that you were at fault. It's just..." He paused and tried to gather his thoughts. Always best to be careful with Rumplestiltskin, especially when tensions were already high. "We need to know something," the prince finished urgently.

The sorcerer nodded. He most definitely understood the loss of a child, and in this case it was not just a child, but a grandchild too, and just after they had found one another. Considering what he had done, he was hardly in a place to say. "I don't know exactly what happened." Rumplestiltskin moved carefully, looked at the floor, as if seeing something that wasn't visible to the rest. Which it wasn't. "It could be some kind of reaction between the wraith and my magic," he said softly almost as if he was talking to himself. "Whatever it was, it wasn't..." The sorcerer paused. "Regardless, I can tell you this. Wherever they are, they are together. And if I know one thing for certain about my former apprentice, it is this, no matter how she feels about our dear sheriff, Regina will not let anything happen to her as long as Henry is there. I will have a look, see if I can find out what happened. Right now, I suspect that they have fallen through to another realm. If that is the case there is a good chance that Regina has access to her magic, depending on what realm. Some have more than others, of course and if they end up in Wonderland, or Neverland for that matter...well, neither are good places, even for a short visit, but..."

"What is it going to cost?" David asked shrewdly. "Nothing with you is ever free."

"That, my dear Prince Charming, as I keep having to remind you, is because all magic comes with a price. That is not just a figure of speech you know. The scales have to be balanced." There was a note in his voice, a hint of the giggling imp he had once been. "Unfortunately, as you managed to save my dear lady, not to mention my own skin, to which I am rather attached, the price is mine. As I said, the scales have to be balanced. Just this once," he cautioned.

"What should we do?" Snow asked, bracing herself. Underneath it all, she was still the same brave bandit princess she had always been, and she would persevere.

"Well, the town is short a sheriff. Granted, without Regina around, I would imagine things are pretty quiet on that front. Though of course, there is still Nottingham, something should be done with him."

"Yes, keeping the town going is a priority," David agreed. "I'll need to talk to Ruby." Clearly the Prince had decided throwing himself into work was the best course of action to deal with the situation. It was to Charming's credit, something that Rumplestiltskin would never tell him, that he didn't try to interfere. Once he had an expert attending to a situation, he just let them get on with it.

"Rumplestitlskin, are you...do you really believe that they will be all right?" Snow asked,  reaching out to put an hand on the sorcerer's arm, desperate for some kind of reassurance."

"As long as Henry is with them, I have no doubt that Regina will use all her magic to protect them both, and I am absolutely positive that the two of them will do anything to protect him. As long as Henry is safe, they are all safe. I would pray that nothing happens to the boy."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, thank you for the lovely comments. More are always appreciated. Now that you know who is where, what do you think? Inquiring authors want to know. Please leave a comment in the little box.


	25. Uneasy alliances

Rumplestilskin carried on examining the area where everything had taken place. The prince and princess had, wisely, retreated to the other side of the barrier to watch and more importantly, stay out of his way. Belle, as the sorcerer's lady, was standing near by, but still close to the barrier and out of his way, She wanted to be close in case he needed her. What he was looking for though, only he knew.

The silence stretched to the point of discomfort, but the sorcerer showed no sign of either stopping or letting them in on what he found or even was looking for. Finally, it was Belle who broke the quiet. "Rumple, have you found anything important?" she asked softly. The young woman was looking at him with concern.

"It will need more study," the sorcerer said, leaning heavily on his cane, still not looking at them.

"You can't do all of it now," Belle declared. "Shall I pack these things away then?" She gestured to the remains of ingredients littering the table.

"Belle..." he started, but she gave him a stern look, and he nodded his acquiescence . "Lock the door to the hall," Gold said, addressing the royal couple for the first time. "I'll need to do a bit of research, get a few things, and come back..."

"Tomorrow," Belle said firmly. He looked for a moment as if he was going to argue. The prince smiled. He knew that look well, and could have told the imp that arguing would do him no good. However, it appeared Gold was smart enough not to go down that road. He just closed his mouth.

"We can lock the door," David said. "Why don't I give you the key." He fumbled in his pocket for the keyring. he was pretty sure he didn't want to be around for whatever it was the sorcerer had to do, or for the argument about when it was going to be done. He needed to get Snow back home so she could rest, and so they could worry in privacy. Rumplestitlskin had never let them down before though, that was something at least. "Then you can come and go as you need to..." It was then that he realised there wasn't a lock to lock, having been broken by the creature. "Oh...I..."

Rumplestiltskin nodded, repaired the lock with a wave, and accepted the key, distracted. It went without saying that it was necessary and would permit him to do what needed to be done without anyone else interfering. He was still looking distractedly towards the hall, but was not willing to argue with his lady, who showed all the signs of not taking 'no' for an answer. She put her arm through his and they followed the other couple out. He locked the door behind them and they parted company.

"Let's go home," Belle said. She was a little concerned about Rumplestitlskin. He had used a lot of magic today, and that last little bit to mend the lock didn't help. Also, he didn't like losing, and while he had done everything he could, and more than he had planned, still, it had not gone to plan, and that tended to irritate him.

"I should go back to the shop," Rumplestiltskin told her. "Look into what happened to them. Not that I care particularly, but I agreed. I can have Dove..." Belle knew it was far more complicated than that. His relationship with Regina was not as simple as he liked to pretend. His anger at what the Evil Queen had done to her was absolutely real, as was every threat and promise he had made. But he also felt at least some measure of responsibility. It had been him who had trained her, who had most carefully honed her into the weapon he needed to cast his curse, to reach his son. IF there was a small measure of revenge involved, a bit of payback for the woman who had broken his heart, he could hardly be blamed.

"We can drop these things off, but you need to rest. You can try to fool them, Rumplestiltskin, but it won't work with me." It was rare for her to use his full name, and only when she was irritated with him, or trying to make a point. He looked at her. He was too tired, and he wasn't willing to start a fight with his beloved over her desire to coddle him. He could always wait, come back after she was asleep.

Of course, his clever love knew him far to well. "You should get whatever books you think you will need that are here," Belle told him, as she took the things from the satchel and started putting them back in their places.

"What..." he started.

"Just because I want you to rest, doesn't mean you will. I know that. But at least you can do your reading at home in comfort. Perhaps..." She started, biting her lip in that way that she had when she was not entirely sure he was going to like what she was going to say.

"Yes, sweetheart?" he asked, the look clearly showing that he knew that he wasn't going to be in favour of whatever it was she was about say and he wasn't going to make it easy.

"I could help?" She made it into a question, but Belle was more than willing to argue this one with him.

"Belle, love, as much as I would like, you..."

"Not with the magic, I know perfectly well that I'm useless for that. But what you need at the moment is information, research. Two of us looking would take at least half the time, especially with you to tell me what to look for."

The sorcerer started to reject the whole idea, but even as he was trying to find the words to tell her no, he started thinking. His love was one of the smartest people he had ever met. Why not make use of that? It couldn't hurt, certainly. "Very well," he agreed after some consideration. "You can help me look for an answer." It seemed the best and easiest way. Besides, after all the excitement, she would probably be asleep moments after they started.

 

"Okay, so we are in the Enchanted Forest, at least potentially. How can we be sure, and if we are, how do we get back?" Emma asked. She was trying to focus on what needed to be done, and not too hard on where they were and what happened.

Regina thought for a moment, and then, with a wave of her hand, and a small *poof* of red smoke, a crystal bottle was in her hand. "Definitely the Enchanted Forest," she told them.

"Can I ask how you are sure?" Emma questioned carefully. Trust Regina, not likely.

"This."  She held up the bottle. "It's from my dressing table in the Winter Palace. I didn't take it with me when I cast the curse. If I can summon it, we are in the same realm." Emma nodded in acceptance. "But now that I have my magic back," Regina said, a look of triumph in her eyes. She was back in the Enchanted Forest, and there was no Snow White, no Charming, no Rumplestiltskin to challenge her, and she had Henry. All she had to do now was get rid of Emma Swan and...

"Mom," Henry shouted, putting himself between his mothers. The look on his face, sadness, determination...disappointment. "Mom, you've got to stop. You can be better, I know you can. You helped against the Wraith."

"Henry," she started, but then she stopped. How many times had she wished that her mother would stop her schemes, even listen to her just a little? And how many times had she promised that she would be a better mother? _How many times have you promised yourself that you would do things better next time?_ A mocking voice that sounded an awful lot like her mother whispered. The magic faded from her hands. "Truce?" Regina suggested. Emma, who had reached for her gun, was looking warily at her.

"You tried to feed me to a soul sucking creature," she accused, putting her hand over where the mark seemed to have faded away. "Why should I trust you?"

"What do you want, an apology? You..."

"Mom," Henry said sharply. "Emma, please?"

Emma looked at Henry, then at Regina. She knew one thing for certain, without Regina, there was no way she and Henry were going to survive, much less make it home. Grudgingly, she held a hand out to the Evil Queen. "For Henry," she said.

"For Henry," Regina agreed.

"Now, is there are way of figuring out exactly where we are?" the Sheriff asked. "And what are our assets? I've got my pistol and a full magazine, assuming it works here?"

Regina shrugged. "No reason it shouldn't, I don't think."

"Well, since I have a limited number of bullets, I'm not in a hurry to waste one."

"Agreed. I have my magic," Regina said. "And I know the land."

Henry pulled his backpack off, eager to contribute. "I have...my history homework, guess I won't need that..."

"Put it back," they both said, and then looked at one another. "I'm pretty sure your teacher will take 'falling in through a portal to another realm' as a reason for your homework being late," Emma added.

Henry shrugged before continuing. "My Swiss Army knife and my gloves, not sure why those are in there. A container of chocolate chip cookies from Paige's mom...my math notebook, and a couple of pencils."

"Food," Emma said, as she opened the Tupperware. "We'd best go easy though. I don't know how hard it will be to get food. I was never even a Girl Scout so this woodsman stuff is beyond me, and royal..."

"Royal Princesses learn to hunt," Regina said. "It's part of our training, but it's been a while. Right now..."

There was a noise, like a shout or a growl, possibly both. Something was tearing through the forest making no attempt to hide or be quiet. "What's that?" Emma said, turning towards the sound as Henry shoved everything back in his backpack and slid it on.

"I..." Then a figure broke into the clearing. "Ogre! Run!" Regina shouted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to all of you who are reading this. Hope you are enjoying it. Please, if you are so inclined, drop a comment in the little box, tell me how I am doing.


	26. The morning after

Monday dawned crisp and clean, spilling early light over the sleeping imp and his lady, not to mention a tumbled pile of leather bound tomes. Their individual plans to get the other to rest had resulted in them both falling asleep together, just as they were settling down to do some research.

Belle yawned and opened her eyes to meet the slightly startled eyes of her lover. "I must have been more tired than I expected," the imp said graciously.

"I will bet you are hungry too. Shall I make us some breakfast?" she suggested.

"I think breakfast out. It's going to be a busy day, and I have other plans this morning," Rumple grinned suggestively. Clearly food was not the only thing he was hungry for. When they rose, it was some time later, and both felt better. "As much as I would like to leave Regina in whatever hole she has found herself in, I need Miss Swan and the boy back. I just wish I knew what for," he said as he started towards the bathroom.

"A vision?" Belle asked, aware of his prescient tendancies.

"Not completely. At this point, it's more a feeling, but that is for later. We also have young Mr. Booth coming this afternoon."

"Do you still think that this will turn him back into a boy?"

"I am truly not entirely sure, Fairy magic tends towards the overcomplicated. We will have to see."

"Perhaps it will even be for the best. He agreed quickly enough," Belle opined. Rumplestiltskin turned with a question on his face. She explained. "He and his father lost a lot of time, maybe it would be..." She paused at the pain crossing his face. He was thinking of Bae, she knew it.

"A new beginning?" he asked quietly. Belle nodded, and they both knew no one was talking about the wooden boy anymore. She took his hand.

 

Brushed and dressed, Belle requested they walk into town. "It's a lovely day," she said.

"Very well. We will come for the car later, or send Dove." He understood. Belle was chafing a bit after the last few days, and Regina was hardly a danger at the moment. That left the biggest danger in Storybrooke...him, actually. With that pleasant thought, he offered Belle his arm and they left the quiet house.

Monday in Storybrooke was a fairly busy day, even after the curse broke. Things still needed to get done. The two of them walked towards the diner, pausing to greet Doctor Hopper and Pongo on their walk, and Jefferson and Grace. The Hatter looked slightly nervous about being out in the open, but he would do anything for his daughter, including, apparently, Granny's for pancakes before school. "I'm not the best cook in the morning," he said as they greeted one another.

Belle invited them to join them. She remembered him from when he used to visit the Dark Castle and instantly realised that the familiarity would make it easier for everyone.

Granny's diner was almost full when the unusual foursome arrived at the door. Ruby was not on duty, undoubtably still at the police station watching over things. Unfortunately that left Cinderella to wait tables along with Granny and young Sara. The Princess was no longer hiding from him, but Rumplestiltskin had some concerns about his food actually making it to the table.

In the corner of the counter, Gaston sat, ensconced with a couple of cronies. He looked at them with something akin to rage, but he wasn't going to take on Rumplestiltskin again without some kind of backup. Besides, starting trouble in Granny's would probably get him banned and Storybrooke had limited choices for food. Gaston certainly wasn't going to cook, that was for women. Rumplestiltskin met his eyes, the threat clear. The former knight frowned down at his breakfast. The sorcerer smiled.

Belle let the way to their favourite booth at the back, thinking that Jefferson would be more comfortable where he wasn't quite so out in the open, she knew she was. Sara brought menus and water, smiling shyly. Belle, having heard her story, was inclined to think kindly of her, unlike Cinderella. Rumple had not told her _that_ story, but she knew that there was one. Things had been a little busy. Still, she preferred the hard working high school girl to the high strung princess.

As soon as they had ordered, Rumplestiltksin had engaged the portal jumper in a highly technical discussion on realm travel. Grace looked at Belle, shrugged and smiled. It was good to see her father engaged in something and, unlike many, the girl had no fear of the sorcerer, who had always been good to her and had rescued her from Regina's clutches after the Evil Queen had trapped her father in Wonderland. She knew that he was dangerous, just not to her. So when Belle asked about books, she was glad to have someone to talk to about them.

 

"I think we are safe," Regina said. They had managed to lose the creatures and were on the far side of some kind of stream or the narrow part of a river, wet and panting heavily, but with all their body parts. Regina had lost her shoes in the process, but that was the only casualty and she counted it a victory.

"Now what?" Emma asked, trying to catch her breath. "And why is it daylight? I can't imagine that we were out that long, or we wouldn't have woken up at all. It was dark when we...did whatever it was we did."

"Time. It runs differently in different realms. I don't know how that works, before you ask. I've done very little realm travel. If we get back, you can feel free to ask Rumplestiltskin, or maybe Jefferson. The Mad Hatter has done more in that line than anyone I know of."

"Paige...Grace's father?" Emma asked.

"He has a very specific type of magical skill," Regina told her with a shrug.

"So were those really ogres?" Henry asked. "They were in my book, but I kind of thought they were extinct, or something."

"Well, they are rare, or at least they were, driven back into the mountains, last I knew, but it looks like they have come back down. We are going to have to be careful. If we can get to the Winter Palace, maybe I can find something..."

"Right now, we need to get dry and figure out where we are, and we still don't know where that thing is, or if it's coming back," Emma reminded them.

"And I need shoes," Regina said. She looked at her torn stockings and bruised feet in disgust before remembering that she was back home, and while it would tire her, she reached out and summoned an old pair of stout boots from her wardrobe. "I don't want to use my magic too much. It's stronger here, but we don't know what we are up against."

"Maybe we should build a fire?" Henry suggested.

Regina looked up at the sky. If she was right, it was getting towards evening. "Probably a good idea. Better to make camp now, than get caught unaware. Miss Swan..." She paused just shy of ordering the other woman around. Right now, the two of them needed to work together to keep Henry safe. There was always time later to figure out her next move.

"What?"

"If you and Henry can get firewood, I will go to the top of the rise up there and see if I can get the lay of the land. I can try to figure out where we are. It's not Agrabah, nor are we at the seaside, but trees and a stream don't tell me a lot. We could be in just about any of several kingdoms."

"Sounds like a plan," Emma admitted reluctantly. At least she seemed to be trying, after she'd tried to kill her, but still what choice did she have? "And while we're here, you might as well call me Emma," she added, gathering her son.

Regina just watched for a moment, before putting on her boots and heading for the ridge, just thinking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologise abjectly for the lack of updates, but between other stories (the muse can be so unruly sometimes) and a big waking dose of life, well, it's taken a while. But, if you are still reading, leave a comment in the little box. Thank you.


	27. Interlude

The shop had been quiet for most of the day. Rumplestiltskin spent about half the day in last minute preparations for finally dealing with August Booth's problem while he, at her insistence, left Belle to manage the front of the shop, along with a book to help pass the time and possibly find something that would help with their other situation. He knew that they were still alive, at least at the moment, and with Regina's magic and Miss Swan's fighting skills (she had taken on a dragon with neither assistance, nor advance notice, after all) he gave them a good chance. Besides, they would both do anything for Henry and really, the sorcerer only _needed_  Miss Swan and the boy. Perhaps he could find a way to bring only the two of them back and conviently forget Regina. It wouldn't _kill_ her, after all, or at least it wouldn't _actively_ kill her.

Distracting himself from those pleasant musings, he returned to what he was doing. Having finished with young Mr. Booth's spell, he started looking at the separation of the town of Storybrooke from the wider world. Rumplestiltskin was not entirely certain he wanted Storybrooke to become a part of this realm at all. Actually, he had not really considered it too closely at the time when he had created the curse. To be honest, he had considered nothing at all but finding a way to get to his son. Everything and everyone else had been entirely irrelevant, well, not entirely. When he had Belle, he had considered, worried really, about what she would think, thought about how to protect her when the curse was cast. Once he thought her dead though, he had stopped caring at all. Nothing mattered without Belle. He had allowed himself to fall back into his all consuming obsession with getting all the pieces into place for the curse.

That was before. Now he had Belle back with him and she wanted to stay. She made him want to be a better person, for her and for Bae, when they found him. The question of returning to the Enchanted Forest or staying in this world could be dealt with later though. At the moment...

"You are brooding again, aren't you?" Belle asked quietly, bringing him out of his thought.

"No, not..." He looked into her sceptical blue eyes. "Perhaps just a bit?" he suggested.

"About what?" she asked as she moved to make afternoon tea for them. It was frightening how easily they had fallen back into old patterns, almost as if things had never changed between them, though everything had changed.

"Many things, but mostly how to leave Storybrooke and find Bae." The rest was for later, if at all. Learning to talk openly and honestly with someone else, anyone else, was not an easy thing for him.

"I know that you can find a way, I have faith," she said, pausing to give him a kiss. Definitely a positive antidote to any of his darker thoughts.

 

It was almost time to close the shop in preparation for the arrival of August Booth, when David Nolan arrived he managed to bite back an impatient growl. He had almost thought he was going to manage to get through the day without a visit from either member of the royal family, but he should have known it was too good to be true. _At least they didn't come to the house,_ he thought. Though it might have been a bit amusing. He had some very definite plans for after they had dealt with the wooden man, ones that involved celebrating having successfully gotten his son's location.

At least he had a good reason for hustling the annoying noble from the shop. But as much as he didn't want to deal with the man, he supposed it was better to deal with one of them than both. "Rumplestiltskin...I..." the man started.

"I've no answers for you yet," the sorcerer said, waylaying him before he could get started. "And, as it happens that I have another little problem to take care of right now, so of you could come back another time..."

"But what about my daughter and grandson? I know that you..."

"Regardless of what you might think, Charming, your problem is not the _only one_ I have on my plate at present, and, dearie, everyone thinks that _their_ problem is the most important one," he told him with a smirk. "Wherever Miss Swan, Henry, and Regina are, I am certain they can manage for long enough to allow me to find some solution. After all, your daughter is a very resourceful young woman, as is Regina, though I'm not sure that is as reassuring as you would like. Still, this other situation is much more immediate, so please show yourself out." He pointed towards the door.

"What could be..." the Prince started, but Belle intervened at that point.

"Let me show you out. Surely you know that Rumplestiltskin does not share his dealings with others?  You wouldn't want your confidentiality broken, would you?" she said, urging him towards the door. "Suffice it to say, it is time sensitive and just as important to the people as involved as your situation is to you."

"But mine..." he started to say but his manners prevented him. There was no point in taking his frustrations out on her, in fact, it could be hazardous to his health if the sorcerer decided it warranted. Nothing would change Rumplestiltskin mind or make him work a single bit faster. Instead he found himself standing on the sidewalk outside the shop, having been escorted out by the lady, politely but firmly. "You will call..." he tried to say but the door was already closed.

"You see to the town, that is your job, and I will attend mine," the sorcerer muttered sharply as the door closed and he went back  through the curtain.

When Belle returned to the back, he had finished everything and was pottering around. She recognised his familiar restlessness. "I see you have rid us of the charming prince," he said lightly, but Belle knew him well. David Nolan's concern for his family spoke to the part of him that had spent at least three hundred years looking for his own son.

"He's worried," she said gently, moving to his side. "But we will get it all sorted. It could have been worse."

"Yes, the Princess could have come, or both of them. Though she is usually quite reasonable, for royalty. But losing her daughter and grandson so soon..." He trailed off.

"It doesn't matter, everything will be taken care of," she said, snuggling herself close to him. It felt so very good, and Belle had decided quite firmly that she was not going to waste a single moment of their time together, not now that they had found one another again. He still required a lot of reassurance and she was more than happy to give it.

 

"Hello?" August Booth called out in the quiet shop as he entered cautiously.

"He will be in the back, maybe?" his father asked, following. It had been difficult on the old man, getting his son back after so long only to find that not only was he now and adult, but slowly (or not so slowly) returning to his original wooden state. The two of them had talked, balanced the possibilities of going to the Blue Fairy versus Rumplestiltskin and, when the sorcerer had told him the risks, they had discussed that as well.

"Ehhh, you could be a boy again, then I raise you, same as I would have done," Geppetto said dismissively. "If not, maybe you join the woodworking shop like we planned, _si_? Either way, I have my son back. This is the only thing that matters to me. You, wooden or real, man or boy, you still my son." That was all he felt the topic needed. Now he stood in the shop with that son, smiling encouragingly as Belle came through to greet them. "We finish here, I promise him ice cream," he told her.

"Ice cream? But what if...." she started to say, only to stop, biting her lip. She was unsure of whether or not it was a bit too personal of an observation.

"Never too old for ice cream," the old wood carver said with a smile. "It gives me a good reason to eat it, yes? That Doctor Whale, he tells me less sugar, less this, less that, all the good things. But celebrating the good things in life, this is maybe more important." He grinned at Belle and she smiled back as she gestured for the young man to join Rumple in the back room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for continuing on with this story. I was planning on finishing with August, but life conspired against me. Please leave the comments in the little box.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, I know some people have been looking for this story, and I needed to get it going while it was hot in my head. Please read, review, and all those lovely things that keep us writers going.


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